Airline Identity
History
Air India traces its roots to 1932, when J.R.D. Tata founded Tata Airlines and personally piloted its first flight carrying air mail from Karachi to Bombay. The airline was renamed Air India in 1946 and was nationalized by the Indian government in 1953, after which it operated as the country's state-owned flag carrier for nearly seven decades, known for its Maharajah mascot and a long-haul international network. Decades of financial losses and operational decline under state ownership led the Indian government to pursue privatization, and in January 2022 the Tata Group reacquired Air India, returning it to the family that originally founded it. Under Tata ownership the airline embarked on a major consolidation and modernization drive, merging low-cost carrier Air India Express with AirAsia India (rebranded AIX Connect) in October 2024 and completing a full merger with the premium carrier Vistara in November 2024, unifying the group's four airlines into two: full-service Air India and low-cost Air India Express.
Current Operations
Following its Vistara merger, Air India operates a fleet of roughly 190 aircraft spanning Airbus A320-family narrowbodies and Boeing 777 and 787 as well as Airbus A350 widebodies for long-haul international routes, serving around 85-90 destinations worldwide. The airline runs a multi-hub network centered on Delhi, with Mumbai and Bangalore as additional major hubs, and has been a Star Alliance member since July 2014. Backed by a landmark 2023 order for 470 aircraft worth roughly 70 billion dollars, the airline is in the midst of an extensive fleet renewal and cabin retrofit program aimed at restoring its position as a leading global full-service carrier. The broader Tata-owned Air India Group, including Air India Express, now operates around 300 aircraft to roughly 100 destinations, making it India's largest airline group.
Last verified 2026-08-22· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.