Air India

Air India (Hindi: एअर इंडिया) is the national flag carrier airline of India with a network of passenger and cargo services worldwide. It is one of the two state-owned airlines in the country, the other being Indian Airlines. Its main base is Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, with hubs at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi and Chennai International Airport. The airline operates flights that connect 44 destinations around the world including 12 gateways in India.

History

Air India traces its roots back to October 15, 1932 when its founder, J. R. D. Tata flew a single engined De Havilland Puss Moth registered VT-ADN carrying air mail (postal mail of Imperial Airways) from Karachi's Drigh Road Aerodrome to Bombay's Juhu Airstrip via Ahmedabad. The aircraft continued to Madras via Bellary piloted by a Royal Air Force pilot named Neville Vincent. That same year, the airline was formally established as Tata Airlines, a division of Tata Sons Ltd. (now Tata Group), the large Indian industrial house. Following the end of World War II, regular commercial service was restored in India and Tata Airlines became a public limited company on 29 July 1946 under the name Air India.

Related Topics:
October 15 - 1932 - J. R. D. Tata - De Havilland - Imperial Airways - Karachi - Bombay - Juhu Airstrip - Ahmedabad - Madras - Bellary - Royal Air Force - Tata Group - World War II - 29 July - 1946

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1948 was a very significant year in the history of the airline as 49% of the airline was acquired by the Government of India, with an option to purchase an additional 2% at any time. In return, the airline was granted status to operate international services from India as the designated flag carrier under the name Air India International. On June 8, 1948 a Lockheed Constellation L-749A named Malabar Princess and registered VT-CQP took off from Bombay bound for London via Cairo and Geneva. This marked the airline's first longhaul international flight, soon followed by service to Nairobi via Aden.

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1948 - Government of India - Flag carrier - June 8 - Lockheed Constellation - Bombay - London - Cairo - Geneva - Nairobi - Aden

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On 1 August 1953, the Government of India chose to exercise its option to purchase a majority stake in the carrier and Air India International Limited was born as one of the fruit of the Air Corporations Act that nationalised the air transportation industry. At the same time all domestic services were transferred to Indian Airlines. In 1954, the airline took delivery of its first L-1049 Super Constellations and inaugurated services to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Related Topics:
1 August - 1953 - Government of India - Indian Airlines - 1954 - Super Constellations - Singapore - Bangkok - Hong Kong - Tokyo

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Air India International entered the jet age in 1960 as its first Boeing 707 named Nandadevi and registered VT-DJJ was delivered. Jet services to New York via London were inaugurated that same year. On June 8, 1962 the airline's name was officially truncated to its current form of Air India. On June 11, 1962 Air India became the world's first all-jet airline. In 1970, Air India moved its offices into its own custom built skyscraper in downtown Bombay. The next year, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747-200 named Emperor Ashoka and registered VT-EBD. This coincided with the introduction of the 'Palace In The Sky' livery and branding. A distinctive feature of this livery is the paintwork around each window on Air India's aircraft, in the cusped arch style of windows in Mughal palaces.

Related Topics:
1960 - Boeing 707 - New York - London - June 8 - 1962 - June 11 - 1970 - Bombay - Boeing 747-200 - Mughal

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In 1986, Air India made the decision to supplement its fleet with Airbus A310s and began to accept delivery of these aircraft later that year. The airline would later become (and remains today) the world's largest operator of this type in passenger service. In 1988, Air India also took delivery of two Boeing 747-300s in mixed passenger-cargo configuration.

Related Topics:
1986 - Airbus A310 - 1988 - Boeing 747-300

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In 1989, to supplant its "Flying Palace" livery, Air India introduced a new livery that was mostly white but had a golden sun on a red tail. Only applied to roughly half of Air India's fleet, the new livery failed to "take off" as the Indian flying public raised a hue and a cry about the phasing out of the classic colours. It was also not popular among Air India staff, although their reaction was perhaps a bit more subdued. The new livery was dropped after four years and the old scheme was re-introduced. Since then, Air India has been hesitant to radically change the paint scheme, instead opting for minor updates and facelifts.

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In 1993, Air India took delivery of the new flagship of its fleet when the first Boeing 747-400 named Konark and registered VT-ESM made history by operating the first ever nonstop flight between New York and Delhi. In 1994 the airline was registered as Air India Ltd. In 1996, the airline inaugurated service to its second US gateway at Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport. In 1999, the airline opened its dedicated Terminal 2-C at the newly renamed Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.

Related Topics:
1993 - Boeing 747-400 - 1996 - Chicago - O'Hare International Airport - 1999 - Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport - Mumbai

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The 21st century has seen Air India introduce new services to Shanghai in China, as well as two new US gateways at Newark Liberty International Airport and LAX.

Related Topics:
21st century - Shanghai - China - Newark Liberty International Airport - LAX

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Air-India has registered a profit of Rs 133.85 crores (Approx USD 30 Millions) in the financial year ending March 31, 2003, after taking into account the deferred tax benefit. In the year 2002, it recorded a net profit of Rs 15.44 crores. Air-India earned a total revenue of Rs 5658 crores (Approx USD 1.26 Billions) in 2002-03 as against Rs 5017 crores (Approx USD 1.1 Billions) in the previous year. The airline has ambitious plans to expand its network and acquire new aircraft. The newly elected Government of India has appointed Mr.Praful Patel, as the Minister for Civil Aviation who plans to make the airline "A Maharaja of the Skies ".

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In March 2004, Air India started non-stop flights from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to London, Heathrow, making it the 3rd station from India (after Mumbai and Delhi). In December 2004, Air India leased three Boeing 777-222ER aircraft from United Airlines. With these three new B777s, Air India was able to introduce three new routes: Delhi-Frankfurt-Los Angeles, Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto, and Delhi-Dhaka-Kolkata-London.

Related Topics:
March 2004 - Ahmedabad - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport - London - Heathrow - December 2004 - Boeing 777-222ER - United Airlines - Delhi - Frankfurt - Los Angeles - Amritsar - Birmingham - Toronto - Dhaka - Kolkata

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