Air India pilots to train at Lleida–Alguaire Airport
Government envisages new building and two new hangars due to expected increase in students and aircraft
Lleida-Alguaire Airport in western Catalonia will host around 400 trainee pilots by the end of 2024, with the number expected to increase further by 2026. Half of the trainee pilots will come from India.
Lithuanian aviation training company BAA Training, based in Alguaire since 2018, reached an agreement with Air India to provide instruction classes to the company's pilots.
The first group of 15 pilots from India will arrive in Lleida this January. By June there will be around sixty pilots, joined by students of other nationalities, including Vietnam, also part of a BAA Training agreement.
The Catalan government will build two new hangars and a new building to meet the demand.
Currently, the pilot school has 60 students from all over the world and 15 aircraft.
New Delhi meeting
Catalan Territory Minister Ester Capella met with representatives of BAA Training in New Delhi on Tuesday as part of her official trip to India.
The government, through the public company Aeroports de Catalunya, plans to build two new hangars and a new 800-square-meter building for aviation training next year, with at least 10 classrooms, briefing rooms and several rest areas.
The annual economic impact of spending on accommodation, goods and services is around €15,000 per student. With 400 students expected by the end of 2024, the total annual economic impact is estimated to reach €6 million.
New Delhi-Barcelona flights
During the official trip to India, Capella also met with representatives of Air India, who confirmed that Barcelona is a priority for the company and that direct flights between New Delhi and the Catalan capital could begin in 2025.