AIR INDIA 1950-59 THROUGH ITS TIMETABLES
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Introduction
The company origins go back to the early thirties, after ww2, Tata Airlines as was its name then converted its emergency route permits with actual route rights. The company fleet consisted mainly of Douglas DC3 coming from war surpluses. The company changed its named to AIR INDIA INTERNATIONAL when it went public and was given exclusive right to carry long haul international traffic. 35-seat vikings entered the fleet beginning 1947 and the first Lockheed constellation was delivered in March 1948 enabling the company to start it international services. The inaugural flight took place on June 9,1948 on the L-749 constellation "Malabar Princess" Carrying 35 passengers 10 of which will disembark at London and 8 crew members
TIMETABLE DATED SEPTEMBER 1950
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
shows the following route structure :
Bombay-Cairo-Geneva-London twice weekly, Bombay-Karachi-Aden-Nairobi once weekly and Bombay-Cairo-Rome-Geneva once weekly
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| International network length 16134 km |
Indian airlines still operated domestic network with a fleet of DC3, Vickers Viking and DC4
The international fleet consisted of 3 L749 constellations : VT-CQP "Malabar Princess", VT-CQR "Rajput Princess", VT-CQS "Mughal Princess" and 2 L749A constellations : VT-DAR "Maratha Princess" and VT-DAS "Himalayan Princess"
On November 3,1950, tragedy struck the company when "Malabar Princess" crashed into the Momt-Blanc whole on approach to Geneva killing all of its 48 occupants (40 passengers and 8 crew members)
1951
VT-DEO L749A Constellation joins the fleet as "Bengali Princess" on March 26,1951
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| from wikepedia commons |
VT-DEP L749A Constellation joins the fleet as "Kashmir Princess" on April 3,1951
VT-CQR "Rajput Princess" and VT-CQS "Mughal Princess" were sold to Qantas in April 1951
1952
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
The company added Paris to its network , the fourth European destination
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| International network length 18338 km |
The domestic services were operated by AIR INDIA limited the domestic arm of AIR INDIA
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| from wikemedia commons |
In 1953,
the Government of India passed the Air Corporations Act and purchased a majority stake in the carrier . The nationalistic sentiment that animated the Indian politics called for a single national airline operating domestic routes . Indian National Airlines, Air services of India ,Bharat Airways, Deccan Airways and other were amalgamated to form Indian airlines.
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
1954
The company added Dusseldorf to its network , the fifth European destination
The company's fleet continues to grow with the addition of 2 L-1049C constellations:
VT-DGL Empress Nurjehan (Later renamed as Rani of Jhansi) delivered 26/4/1954 and
VT-DGM Rani of Ind delivered 18/6/1954
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
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| International network length 29224 km |
1955
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
On 11 April 1955, "Kashmir Princess" departed Hong Kong on a charter flight heading to the Bandung conference. The flight was originally supposed to be carrying Chinese premier Chou En Lai, but he changed his travel plans at the last moment. One hour prior to landing in Jakarta, a explosive device with a timer exploded in the starboard wheel bay, causing a fire in the #3 fuel tank. The pilot was able to successfully ditch the aircraft on the high seas. Three crewmembers escaped the wreckage and were later rescued by the Indonesian Coast Guard. All 16 others aboard drowned at sea.
The company grows spectacularly in the Far East with flights toTokyo, Hong Kong and Bangkok from Calcutta and Singapore via Chennai.
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| International network length 33470 km |
28/01/1955 delivery of L-1049E constellations VT-DHL "Rani of Ajanta"
17/02/1955 delivery of L-1049E constellations VT DHM "Rani of Ellora"
25/02/1955 delivery of L-1049E constellations VT-DHN " Rani of Chittor "
1956
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
Zurich is added to its European network together with Prague the first city served in the COMECON block.
Damascus and Beirut join the company's Middle East network as an en-route stops to Europe.
05/06/1956 delivery of L-1049G super-constellation VT-DIL "Rani of Nilgiris"
06/12/1956 delivery of L-1049G super-constellation VT-DIM "Rani of Ayodha"
13/12/1956 delivery of L-1049G super-constellation VT-DIN "Rani of Agra", the "Rani of Agra" was lost at Bombay airport on 19 July 1959 when landing with no loss of life.
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| By Mila Daniel - http://www.planes.cz/cs/photo/1160982/l1049g-super-constellation-vt-dhm-air-india-aic-ai-praha-ruzyne-prg-lkpr/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37593950-RANI OF ELLORA |
1957
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
Forays into Australia were made . Darwin and Sydney are linked to Chennai via Singapore.
1958
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
Pursuing its expansion, Djakarta is added as an add-on on the route to Australia . The L-749As were removed from the fleet in January 1958 and sold to Aeronaves de Mexico.
18/07/1958 delivery of L-1049GF super-constellation VT-DJW "Rani of Bijapur"
13/08/1958 delivery of L-1049GF super-constellation VT-DJX "Rani of Madurai"
1959
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| fm www.timetableimages.com Bjorn Larsson collection |
A historical first, a non-aligned country airline links the Indian subcontinent to Moscow via Tashkent. Noteworthy, its cargo route operated by a dedicated DC4 shown Manama as intermediate stoop on its link to London
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| International network length 27177 km Australia-Asia-East Africa |
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| Cargo network length 14694 km |
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