When you picture comfortable, safe, and cheap flights to India, the word ‘Air India’ often strikes in mind. And why not, the national flight career is a staple with perfection and deliverability when it comes to air travel.
With recent modifications of Air India, coming into the picture after the Tata takeover, many passengers are showing interest in knowing more about the airline, its history, and its importance in the world.
If you are also one of those curious groups, this blog will be an eye-opener. Here are a few of the most amazing facts you need to know about Air India:
First flight of Air India
Showing the world that it has what it takes to be a leader in air travel, India hosted the first flight of its Air India career back in 1932, on 15th October. during that period, the airline was called Tata Air Service, which also tells us that J.R.D.
Tata was the founder of the airline. The engine that flew was a single Havilland Puss Moth carrying air mail from Bombay to Chennai. The flight was flown by Neill Vintcent who was an RAF pilot.
Air India is the only airline to have jets in its fleet
Yes, it’s indeed true. Air India was the first Asian airline to fly Jet aircraft as a part of its regular operations.
Also, the company was the first one to have jets in its fleet around the year 1962. The company added the might Boeing 707 later which was in operation for more than 20 years.
The old Air India Logo
As the first logo of the company, a Centaur was decided to represent the grandeur of the career. That was a stylish version with a logo akin to the Sagittarius zodiac pointing the arrow towards the sky, depicting the nature of the company.
The centaur was enclosed in a circle that resembled the Konark Wheel. The logo symbolized the idea of aiming high and the sky being the limit.
Ashtray as a gift to passengers
Air India gifted ashtrays to first-class passengers during the late 1960s. That was the time when smoking was as common as wheat and was allowed in the cabin.
The ashtray that was presented as a gift was designed by Salvador Dali, who was a world-known craftsmen. The novel gesture was the first one to be witnessed by passengers.
The company rewarded Salvador for his contribution by giving him a live baby elephant. Now that is an interesting tale.
Air India was made to be synonymous with perfection
The working style of JRD Tata includes perfection in every aspect of the company. From staff’s dressing style to cabin cleanliness to punctuality and beyond, everything was looked after with precise efforts and considerations.
In fact, Air India’s spotless services set a route for other airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways to walk on. The revolution began in the 1940s. A major reason for such success was the working style of JRD Tata.
He used to lead by example and even cleaned the dirty counters, in case he spotted any. This is what motivated the employees and they would deliver services that exceeded the expectations of everyone.
Know more: How Tata is changing the Fortune of Air India with the best Technical Upgrades
Slower but better flights
In its early stages of inception, Air India provided aircraft that were slowly driven by energy-deficient propellers. The arch-rivals of the company, Britishairliens provided faster jet services during that time.
Interestingly, many people preferred Air India due to its better services and smooth flying experience.
Exceeded boundaries in Luxury Air Travel
It was in the year 1971 when Air India raised bars on air travel. Offering luxury with the name of ‘palace in the sky, the first Boeing 747-200B was launched.
The movement simply attracted millions of passengers and investors across the globe, making Air India a world phenomenon.
Also, the fact that no other airline company had introduced luxury air travel by then, makes Air India a classic entity.
Know more: Air India To Process Refunds In 21 Days
Airlifting in the Persian Gulf war
We all know how the Gulf war made millions of Indians homeless in the Kuwait region, due to the invasion by Iraq. Air India volunteered to bring back the citizens and turned a far-fetched approach into reality.
The career brought back 111,000 Indians home in 1990. A total number of 448 flights flew between Amman and Mumbai. The operation continued for over 50 days and was the biggest evacuation carried on air in the history of mankind.
The move is even recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records- something every Indian should be proud of.
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Air India has a flight for Indian Dignitaries
Unlike any other country, Air India has reserved a flight for various prominent dignitaries such as the President, PM, etc. The well-designed and equipped Boeing 747 pays well for the safe travel of these people.
The stylish cabin interiors and state-of-the-art facilities are something to admire. There are additional services such as satellite phone, internet, fax, etc on the plane.
A dedicated staff of 8 pilots is always on duty to keep the plane ready to fly to any destination in the world.
Know more: A Complete Guide to the Restricted Items on Air India and General Queries
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading the facts about our beloved national prominent air career. Many people think that the Indian aviation industry is an ordinary one.
But if we look at the history and the past, the people who invested and made dreams a reality, it will be easier to embrace a feeling of pride. We hope that the facts we compiled will make you feel content and prestigious.
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