Indian Airlines is a passenger airline company based in New Delhi, India. The airline, which has been in operation since 1953, is the largest domestic and international air carrier in India.
Indian Airlines was founded under the Air Corporations Act of 1953. This act merged seven airlines under the Indian Airlines banner. The establishment of a national carrier eased the overwhelming commuter traffic on India's rail system.
The Indian Airlines merger absorbed Air Services of India, Airways India, Bharat Airways, Deccan Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Indian National Airways, and Kalinga Airlines. This placed over one hundred airplanes in the Indian Airlines fleet, making it one of the largest airlines of its time.
In 2007 Indian Airlines was merged with Air India, the national airline of India. This new entity increased Air India's fleet to 136 planes.
Air India has received numerous consumer and industry awards since its founding. These include the Reader's Digest Trusted Brand Award, the Dunn and Bradstreet award for industry excellence and the CNBC Awaaz Consumer Satisfaction Award.
Air India is scheduled to join the Star Alliance, a conglomeration of the world's top twenty-one international carriers, in 2010.
