Agartala: Suriya Air, a newly floated private airline, plans to introduce services in India's northeast region from October with small 19-seater aircraft.

The airline is awaiting clearance from the civil aviation ministry before its flights connect Guwahati, Agartala, Silchar, Imphal, Aizwal, Lilabari, Bagdogra and Kolkata, an official said Thursday.

Universal Empire, headed by NRI K. Balachandran Nair and engaged in running various educational institutions and infrastructure development projects worldwide, had signed a technical agreement with Nepal's Buddha Airlines in November last year to float Suriya Air.

As a first step, Universal Empire is likely to procure five aircraft for the sector.

A Universal Empire official said an aviation expert team had already visited the area for feasibility and technical studies.

'We are also planning to recruit air crew from the northeast region. For this we shall talk to the institutions who are engaged in air hostess training,' the official said.

Universal Empire runs medical education institutions at St. Lucia in West Indies and Nepal. They also have other engineering services in the Gulf countries.

In India, the organisation runs MBA institutions in Kerala and consultancy and software services in various parts of the country.