About Air India Airlines
Air India is India's national airline, with a history that can be traced back as far as India's colonial era in 1932. While the company long focused on international routes--with domestic flights left to the other national counterpart, Indian Air--the government announced a merger of the two airlines in 2008, with both eventually flying under the Air India banner. This makes Air India the country's largest airline.
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History
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Air India was founded in 1932 as Tata Airlines, with a fleet of just two early aircraft run by a single pilot and engineer. The company officially changed its name to Air India when it became incorporated in 1946. After struggling financially, the government nationalized the airline in 1950 and has been responsible for day-to-day operations ever since. Indian Air was spun off from Air India in 1953 to focus solely on domestic routes. The Indian government announced the recombination of the two airlines in 2008.
Service
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Air India serves 44 destinations globally, including code-share flights operated in conjunction with other airlines. The airline's heaviest presence is in India, where all major cities are served, but there's a strong international base as well, particularly in Southeast Asia. In the United States, Air India serves Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; and Newark, New Jersey.
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Fleet
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Air India has a fleet of 127 active aircraft. The company's most-flown aircraft are the Airbus A320, with 42 in operation and the Airbus A319, with 24 in the fleet.
Frequent Flyer Program
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Air India operates its own frequent flyer program, dubbed Flying Rewards, which offers a free flight after earning 10,000 mileage points. However, in 2010, the company is expected to join Star Alliance, which will allow fliers to accrue miles on a wide network of airlines, including United and Continental.
Safety Record
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Air India has only had one fatal event in its history: a 1985 crash off the coast of Ireland that killed the 329 people on-board after takeoff from London's Heathrow Airport. Since then, the airline has operated fatality free.
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References
- Photo Credit india image by creative from Fotolia.com
