SpiceJet plans to freeze salary hikes for its senior management for the next fiscal as part of its efforts to tide over the global recession and decline in aviation business, reported the Press Trust of India.

However, the airline reportedly plans to recruit 60 pilots over the next 12 months. The company also plans to start international flights once it becomes eligible to fly overseas by May 2010.

According to the news source, the carrier may look towards the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) locations like Kathmandu, Colombo and southeast Asian nations including Thailand for its foreign destinations. It is believed that SpiceJet will adopt the same low-cost model for the international routes and will most likely avoid long-haul flights.

SpiceJet, which currently has a fleet of 19 Boeing 737 airplanes, is expected to take delivery of five more planes by March 2011, said the Press Trust of India.