Air India History

The national flag carrier of India with a worldwide network of passenger and cargo services, Air India is the only state-owned airline in the country, having recently merged with Indian Airlines. With its main base at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai and Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, Air India connects 146 international and domestic destinations around the world, including 12 gateways in India with Air India Express, a fully-owned subsidiary of Air India. Air India plans to join Star Alliance and has ordered 27 Boeing 787 (+7 options), to be delivered after 2009.

In 1932, Air India began its journey under the aegis of Tata Airlines, a division of Tata Sons Ltd. (now Tata Group). Following World War II in 1946, regular commercial service was restored in India and Tata Airlines became a public limited company under the name of Air India. Under the Air Corporations Act of 1953, the Government nationalised the air transportation industry and Air India International Limited was born. In 1960, Air India flew its first international flight to New York via London. In 1962, Air India became the world's first all-jet airline and its name was officially truncated to Air India.

In 2007, Air India and Indian Airlines merged into one airline, with its name remaining Air India. Air India is now a part of Star Alliance and is supposed to be joined by Alliance Air and Air India Express soon.

Source: www.makemytrip.com