The journey of Tata Sons had started when they won the tender to obtain the national carrier Air India. It’s a homecoming for the airline, and a new era commences under the Stewardship of Tata Sons. Air India has seen both extremes of the spectrum in its long history – glorious days and unremarkable ones. Also, it has been owned by two different systems – as a private company and as a government entity.
Recently known as Air India, the airline had launched by JRD Tata, India’s first licensed pilot and fictitious industrialist and contributor. His fascination soon turned into a plan to form the first commercial airline in India.
The company was established in 1932, and its first scheduled flight was a mail service on specific routes for then-Imperial Airways. Since then, it has made enormous progress. In 1938, Tata Airlines expanded internationally under the name Tata Airlines. They enhanced flights to Colombo, Sri Lanka, after then Ceylon.
1947 is a Turning Point for the Tata Industry
1947 is the year that turns the table upside down. After India became an independent country, nationalization became a hot topic. Tata Airlines was also scheduled to be nationalized due to the government’s attempts to nationalize various companies.
It was JRD Tata who opposed the idea of nationalizing the company. The Indian government does not have experience running an airline company, so nationalization would lead to bureaucracy and lethargy, declining employee morale, and declining passenger service.
Air India acquired Tata Airlines:
Government officials responded to his protest by taking a 49% stake in the carrier and renaming it Air India. It reflected a spectacular modification in the company’s chronology. The government nationalized Air India and various other airline companies, holding them out of Tata’s control. The decision made by the government had affected a lot, JRD Tata.
Tatas air services were suppressed as part of a planned conspiracy by the government to treat them shabbily and sabotage private civil aviation. JRD expressed his disappointment at the government’s treatment of the Tatas. Prime Minister Nehru ascertained him that such an intention did not occur.
As chairman of Air India and Indian Airlines, JRD was invited by the government to utilize his expertise. They offered the chairmanship of Air India and the directorship of Indian Airlines to JRD after extensive discussions within the Tata Sons company.
JRD would fill both positions until 1978. After Air India flight AN-213 fell over into the ocean off the coast of Mumbai, killing all 213 passengers and crew on board, his work came under danger. A deadly fall from an aircraft was attributed to pilot error and was one of the greatest tragedies of its time. Within one month, the government of Prime Minister Morarji Desai removed JRD from his positions as chairman of Air India and director of Indian Airlines.
He was appointed to both airlines’ boards by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1980, though he was not reappointed as chairman. Ratan Tata became chairman of Air India in 1986 when Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi appointed him as chairman. The most distinguished period of JRD’s career with Air India came in the last decade of the company’s existence.
The journey of Tata continues to grow:
- Tata industry is a devoted ti India would do everything for India their journey is commendable till the date, let’s begin the light on their journey after 1986.
- 1990 – India’s Air India and Indian Airlines evacuated 116,000 Indians after Iraq invaded Kuwait. The airline flew 451 passengers to Amman.
- 1994 – A new law repealing the Air Corporation Act paves the way for scheduled private airlines.
- 2005 – A new airline, Air India Express, begins operations.
- 2005 – In this year, 68 Boeing aircraft has ordered by Air India. He Launched non-stop flights to New York two years later.
- 2007 – Air India and Indian Airlines merge into a single airline.
- 2012 – The government approves a recovery plan that includes capital injections, loan guarantees, and debt restructuring. By 2019, more than 30,000 million equity capital had been invested.
- 2013 – Air India’s Engineering (AIESL) and Ground Operations (AIATSL) subsidiaries are launched. These two companies are not involved in the airline’s reinvestment.
- 2014 – Air India joins Star Alliance, a global airline group, to provide seamless customer connectivity.
- 2018 – Air India flies to Israel via Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the first to open airspace for commercial aircraft to Israel.
- 2021 – Government announced Tata Sons as winning bidder for 100% stake in Air India for Rs 18,000 crores.
