Air India’s journey took off in 1932, when Bharat Ratna J.R.D Tata formed an Airline, realising his dream. The first Indian to receive a commercial pilot’s license, it was his passion for flying that had sparked Air India’s origins - with the launch of an Airmail service from the then Bombay to Karachi via Ahmedabad. Nationalized in 1953, Air India has been spreading its wings over the years to become a leading domestic and global brand.
Air India’s international connectivity, spanning cities in Europe, USA, UK, Africa, the Gulf, Asia and Australia, was strengthened after joining Star Alliance – the largest global air consortium – in July, 2014. The airline also covers every remote corner of the country. It has always stood by the Nation and its people during the hour of need and has played a key role in evacuation missions during crises like the Gulf War, the Covid pandemic and the recent Ukraine conflict.
On 27th January, 2022, Air India has been welcomed back to the Tata Group and is poised to soar high - redefining its goals & approach with focus on overall excellence & customer-centric processes. "The Tata group welcomes Air India's new customers and is excited to work together to make Air India the airline of choice in terms of passenger comfort and service.", remarked Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons on the occasion.
Their People - The Air Indians
Air India has a dedicated and skilled workforce from all over India and abroad united by the spirit to connect homes and hearts - offering world-class service to their global guests.
Pilots, cabin crew, aircraft & ground engineers, flight dispatchers, simulator maintenance engineers, flight safety, safety auditors, catering and ticketing and reservations and customer services, ground handling, security teams function with clockwork precision backed by software technologists, information technology, Market Planning, Route Planning, Finance, Personnel, Materials Management departments etc to make their fleet fly high.
However, Air India is not just an airline transporting people and cargo, it serves as the Wings of the Nation with each and every Air Indian rising to the occasion putting the interest of their Nation & its people ahead of their own concerns during any crisis. Team Air India has scripted many an epic evacuation all over the world from the Gulf or Yemen, Wuhan or Ukraine over the last so many decades. The Vande Bharat mission during covid times was very challenging. The AI group operated 58,895 flights bringing 8,077,755 people home.
A galaxy of sportspersons amongst the Air India workforce has done Air India and India proud - winning laurels for the country at prestigious global events. Air India has been nurturing budding talent - many of whom matured into champions and honoured with the highest national sports awards. Many legends in Cricket, Hockey, Carom, Chess, Shooting & other sports are Air Indians, the organization feels proud of.
Air India is proud of its women workforce excelling in every area of operation – from the cockpit to the aircraft cabin, engineering units, ramp, office desks and the board room across our network. Women comprise over 30% of our total strength, including pilots (over 200), aircraft engineers & senior directors. Women pilots & crew in Air India hold the distinction of flying the longest around-the-world all-women flight on the Delhi-San Francisco-Delhi sector. Women in Air India have been leaving their mark in every area of functioning to reiterate that hands which rock the cradle can also make an airline soar high.
In their pursuit of excellence to offer a world-class service to their guests, every Air Indian is driven by the conviction "If I don’t do it then who will?”