TATA REENTRY INTO AVIATION

In the first announcement since the FDI policy for aviation was liberalised, Malaysian carrier AirAsia today said it has sought government's nod to launch a new Indian airline and has set up a joint venture with Tata Group, as well as an investment firm for the purpose. The budget carrier Air Asia Berhad said its investment arm AirAsia Investment (AAIL) "has submitted an application to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to seek approval for AAIL to invest 49 per cent in a proposed joint venture with Tata Sons and Arun Bhatia of Telestra Tradeplace". The news comes two months after Air Asia denied it was bidding for a stake in no-frills carrier SpiceJet. "Subject to FIPB approval, the proposed joint venture company will make an application to Indian aviation regulators for the Air Operators Permit," the Malaysian carrier said in a statement from its headquarters in Sepang. The joint venture plans to operate from Chennai and will focus on providing domestic connectivity to Tier-II and Tier-III cities, it said. AirAsia, through its operations based in Thailand and Malaysia, flies to Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi, Tiruchirappalli and Kolkata from several destinations in the ASEAN region. While AirAsia will hold 49 per cent stake in the JV, the Tata Group will hold 30 per cent and Hindustan Aviation of the Bhatias - 21 per cent, said sources, requesting anonymity. The three parties signed the partnership agreement and submitted the proposal to the Indian government earlier this week, they said. This will mark the return of Tata to aviation. State- owned Air India had grown out of Tata Airlines, which began flights in 1932. HERE IS THE HISTORY OF TATA AIRLINES, WHICH IS KNOWN AS AIR INDIA TODAY.. Air India was founded by J. R. D. Tata in July 1932 as Tata Airlines, a division of Tata Sons Ltd. (now Tata Group). On 15 October 1932, J. R. D. Tata flew a single-engined De Havilland Puss Moth carrying air mail (postal mail of Imperial Airways) from Karachi’s Drigh Road Aerodrome to Bombay’s Juhu Airstrip via Ahmedabad. The aircraft continued to Madras via Bellary piloted by former Royal Air Force pilot Nevill Vintcent. In 1932 Air India was based out of a hut with a palm thatched roof at Juhu Aerodrome and had 1 pilot and 2 apprentice mechanics along with 2 piston engined aircraft, one Puss Moth and one Leopard Moth aircraft. Post-war expansion Following the end of World War II, regular commercial service was restored in India and Tata Airlines became a public limited company on 29 July 1946 under the name Air India. In 1948, after the independence of India, 49% of the airline was acquired by the Government of India, with an option to purchase an additional 2%.In return, the airline was granted status to operate international services from India as the designated flag carrier under the name Air India International. On 8 June 1948, a Lockheed Constellation L-749A named Malabar Princess (registered VT-CQP) took off from Bombay bound for London Heathrow via Cairo and Geneva. This marked the airline’s first long-haul international flight, soon followed by service in 1950 to Nairobi via Aden. On 25 August 1953, the Government of India exercised its option to purchase a majority stake in the carrier and Air India International Limited was born as one of the fruits of the Air Corporations Act that nationalised the air transportation industry. At the same time all domestic services were transferred to Indian Airlines (now renamed as Indian). In 1954, the airline took delivery of its first L-1049 Super Constellations and inaugurated services to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. Air India International entered the jet age in 1960 when its first Boeing 707-420, named Gauri Shankar (registered VT-DJJ), was delivered. Jet services to New York City via London were inaugurated that same year on 14 May 1960. On 8 June 1962, the airline’s name was officially truncated to Air India. On 11 June 1962, Air India became the world’s first all-jet airline. In 1971, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747-200B named Emperor Ashoka (registered VT-EBD). This coincided with the introduction of the ‘Palace In The Sky’ livery and branding. A feature of this livery is the paintwork around each aircraft window, in the cusped arch style of windows in Indian palaces. In 1986 Air India took delivery of the Airbus A310-300; the airline is the largest operator of this type in passenger service. In 1988, Air India took delivery of two Boeing 747-300Ms in mixed passenger-cargo configuration. Early 1990s In 1993, Air India took delivery of the flagship of its fleet when the first Boeing 747-400 named Konark (registered VT-ESM) made history by operating the first non-stop flight between New York City and Delhi.In 1994 the airline was registered as Air India Ltd. In 1996, the airline inaugurated service to its second US gateway at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. In 1999, the airline opened its dedicated Terminal 2-C at the renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. 2000 – present In 2000, Air India introduced services to Shanghai and to its third US gateway at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark. In May 2004, Air India launched a wholly owned low cost airline called Air-India Express.