146-704: Air India is the flag carrier of India with its main hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi , and secondary hubs at Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai , alongside several focus cities across India. Headquartered in Gurugram , the airline is owned by Air India Limited , which is owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines . As of November 2024,
292-624: A public company or a state-owned enterprise , while others have been completely privatized . The aviation industry has also been gradually deregulated and liberalized, permitting greater freedoms of the air particularly in the United States and in the European Union with the signing of the Open Skies agreement. One of the features of such agreements is the right of a country to designate multiple airlines to serve international routes with
438-572: A public limited company on 29 July 1946 under the name Air India . After the Indian independence in 1947, 49% of the airline was acquired by the Government of India in 1948. On 8 June 1948, a Lockheed Constellation L-749A named Malabar Princess (registered VT-CQP ) took off from Bombay bound for London Heathrow marking the airline's first international flight. In 1953, the Government of India passed
584-546: A union territory of India containing New Delhi , the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its right bank , Delhi shares borders with the state of Uttar Pradesh in the east and with the state of Haryana in the remaining directions. Delhi became a union territory on 1 November 1956 and the NCT in 1995. The NCT covers an area of 1,484 square kilometres (573 sq mi). According to
730-409: A Puss Moth aircraft and a Leopard Moth . Initial service included weekly airmail service between Karachi and Madras via Ahmedabad and Bombay. In its first year of operation, the airline flew 160,000 miles (260,000 km), carrying 155 passengers and 9.72 tonnes (10.71 tons) of mail and made a profit of ₹ 60,000 (US$ 720). Later, the airline launched a domestic flight from Bombay to Trivandrum with
876-451: A better description. But his blood isn't blue. He may look like royalty, but he isn't royal". Air India adopted the Maharajah as its mascot in 1946. It was used in promoting it although initially designed only for the airline's memo-pads. The Maharajah was given a makeover in 2015 and the brand is represented by a younger version. In 2023, the Maharajah was given a makeover and was revealed that
1022-613: A bloody fight known as the Siege of Delhi . The city came under the direct control of the British Government in 1858. It was made a district province of the Punjab . In 1911, it was announced that the capital of British-held territories in India was to be transferred from Calcutta to Delhi. This formally transferred on 12 December 1911. The name "New Delhi" was given in 1927, and the new capital
1168-521: A city on a knoll on the banks of the river Yamuna. According to art historian Catherine B. Asher, the topographical description of the Mahabharata matches the area of Purana Qila , a 14th-century CE fort of the Delhi sultanate , but the analogy does not go much further. Whereas the Mahabharata speaks of a beautifully decorated city with surrounding fortifications, the excavations have yielded "uneven findings of painted grey pottery characteristic of
1314-538: A combination of elevated, at-grade, and underground lines, and uses both broad gauge and standard gauge rolling stock. Four types of rolling stock are used: Mitsubishi–ROTEM Broad gauge, Bombardier MOVIA, Mitsubishi–ROTEM Standard gauge, and CAF Beasain Standard gauge. The Phase-I of Delhi Metro was built for US$ 2.3 billion and the Phase-II was expected to cost an additional ₹ 216 billion (US$ 2.6 billion). Phase-II has
1460-434: A contract to carry mail for Imperial Airways and the aviation department of Tata Sons was formed with two single-engine de Havilland Puss Moths . On 15 October 1932, Tata flew a Puss Moth carrying air mail from Karachi to Bombay (currently Mumbai ) and the aircraft continued to Madras (currently Chennai ) piloted by Nevill Vintcent , a former Royal Air Force pilot and friend of Tata. The airline fleet consisted of
1606-418: A cost of US$ 70 billion, which set the record for the world's largest aircraft order at the time. On 10 August 2023, the airline announced a rebranding exercise named "Vista" with a new livery and logo. On 1 January 2024, Air India announced that it will begin operating its first Airbus A350 aircraft on domestic routes from 22 January 2024 before expanding to international destinations. As of July 2024, Air India
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#17328479753061752-550: A first-level administrative division, the National Capital Territory of Delhi has its own Legislative Assembly , Lieutenant Governor , the council of ministers, and Chief Minister . Members of the legislative assembly are directly elected from territorial constituencies in the NCT. The legislative assembly was abolished in 1956, after which direct federal control was implemented until it was re-established in 1993. The municipal corporation handles civic administration for
1898-453: A fleet of 208 aircraft, both narrowbody and widebody aircraft with a fleet composed of Airbus A319 , A320 , A320neo , A321 , A321neo , A350 as well as the Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 . In 1932, Air India started operations with De Havilland Puss Moth. On 21 February 1960, Air India International inducted its first Boeing 707 –420 named Gauri Shankar (registered VT-DJJ ), thereby becoming
2044-441: A ground handling company, were sold for ₹ 18,000 crore (US$ 2.2 billion) to Tata Group . On 27 January 2022, the airline was officially handed over to Tata Group. On 14 February 2022, after its re-privatization, the airline appointed İlker Aycı , former chairman of Turkish Airlines as its new CEO and managing director to take charge on or before 1 April 2022 which did not materialize. In March 2022, Natarajan Chandrasekaran ,
2190-476: A ground handling joint venture with Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) . According to the EOI, the new owner would have to take on a debt of ₹ 33,392 crore (US$ 4.0 billion) and a bid would have to be submitted by mid-May as the Government wanted to complete the selling process by the end of 2018. However, no private firms showed any interest to buy a share in the debt-laden airline. Having failed to sell off
2336-416: A majority stake in the airline, the Government decided to completely exit the airline and invited fresh EOIs on 27 January 2020. In order to attract bidders this time, the government reduced the debt burden on Air India by moving nearly ₹ 30,000 crore (US$ 3.6 billion) of the company's debts and liabilities to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). In view of the prevailing situation arising out of COVID-19 ,
2482-558: A new Palace in the Sky livery and branding. The airline operated 11 Boeing 747-200 in total. In 1986, Air India took delivery of its first Airbus A310-300 and in 1988, the airline took delivery of Boeing 747-300M. In 1993, Air India took delivery of a Boeing 747-400 named Konark (registered VT-ESM ) and operated the first non-stop flight between New York and Delhi. In 2000–01, attempts were made to re-privatize Air India. In 2000, Air India introduced services to Shanghai, China. On 23 May 2001,
2628-615: A plan to establish a museum from the collection was stalled and the artworks reside in a building in Nariman Point, Mumbai. Air India organized the first ever exhibition of these art at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi, titled Air India Salutes Indian Masters in 2013. Following a memorandum of understanding agreed between the airline and the Ministry of Culture , the art collection
2774-519: A sacred river in Hinduism , is the only major river flowing through Delhi. The Hindon River separates Ghaziabad from the eastern part of Delhi. The Delhi ridge originates from the Aravalli Range in the south and encircles the west, northeast, and northwest parts of the city. It reaches a height of 318 m (1,043 ft) and is a dominant feature of the region. In addition to the wetlands formed by
2920-547: A six-seater Miles Merlin . In 1938, it was re-christened as Tata Air Services and later as Tata Airlines . Delhi and Colombo were added to the destinations in 1938. During the Second World War , the airline helped the Royal Air Force with troop movements, shipping of supplies, rescue of refugees and maintenance of planes. After World War II , regular commercial service was restored in India and Tata Airlines became
3066-707: A sixteen-year hiatus during the reigns of Sher Shah Suri and Hemu from 1540 to 1556. Shah Jahan built the seventh city of Delhi that bears his name Shahjahanabad , which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1638 and is today known as the Old City or Old Delhi . After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire's influence declined rapidly as the Hindu Maratha Empire from Deccan Plateau rose to prominence. In 1737, Maratha forces led by Baji Rao I sacked Delhi following their victory against
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#17328479753063212-564: A special contract. As a part of the financial restructuring, Air India sold five of its eight Boeing 777-200LR aircraft to Etihad Airways in December 2013. According to the airline, plans for introducing ultra-long flights with service to Seattle , San Francisco and Los Angeles were cancelled due to factors like high fuel prices and weak demand. In April 2014, the airline decided to sell its remaining three Boeing 777-200LRs as well, citing higher operating costs. On 24 April 2014, Air India issued
3358-659: A tender for leasing 14 Airbus A320 aircraft for up to six years, to strengthen its domestic network. By April 2024, Air India has sold four of its last remaining Boeing 747-400 jumbo jets US company AerSale. Two will be converted into freighters and two will be scrapped. Air India is also planning to establish a dedicated subsidiary for cargo operations with dedicated freighters . On 11 January 2006, Air India announced an order for 68 jets – 8 Boeing 777-200LR , 15 Boeing 777-300ER , 18 Boeing 737-800 and 27 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners . The 18 Boeing 737s ordered were later transferred to Air India Express and Air India took delivery of
3504-667: A third product type within the carrier's fleet (though Premium Economy product is still limited to the ex-Delta 777s). Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliners have a similar product to its older 777s but do not have first class, opting for a two-class configuration with a 2-2-2 business class and economy class. In January 2024, the airline introduced its first Airbus A350 on select domestic services. Within its A320ceo fleet , which primarily serves domestic and regional international services, only business and economy class are offered, with some aircraft, including newly delivered A320/321neo aircraft having only economy class. In November 2024,
3650-456: A three-class configuration with first, business, and economy class. These include the carrier's older, 2-3-2 business class cabins and 3-3-3 economy class cabins. Following privatisation, Air India began operating ex- Delta 777-200LRs on certain routes to North America, which allowed for the airline to introduce Premium Economy (using Delta's Premium Select product). The introduction of ex- Etihad 777-300ERs on routes to London-Heathrow introduced
3796-563: A total length of 348.12 kilometres (216.31 mi). The system has a mix of underground, at-grade, and elevated stations using both broad-gauge and standard-gauge . All stations have escalators, lifts, and tactile tiles to guide the visually impaired from station entrances to trains. There are 18 designated parking sites at the Metro stations. In March 2010, DMRC partnered with Google India (through Google Transit) to provide train schedule and route information to mobile devices with Google Maps. It has
3942-478: Is "consolidating its cargo operations" and plans to start a separate entity or a subsidiary like Air India Cargo to handle cargo operations with dedicated freighters . There has been a 30% increase in cargo revenues of Air India Group in FY22-24. The cargo volume is expected to increase to 2.5 million tonnes by 2027. Air India is also developing a "mother software" to handle cargo data and revenue management. The airline
4088-500: Is 963 MGD. The shortfall is met by private and public tube wells and hand pumps . At 240 MGD, the Bhakra storage is DJB's largest water source, followed by the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. Delhi's groundwater level is falling and its population density is increasing, so residents often encounter acute water shortage. Research on Delhi suggests that up to half of the city's water use
4234-767: Is a 23-story tower on Marine Drive and was one of the targets of the 1993 Bombay bombings . It then occupied Indian Airlines House, New Delhi. In 2023, Air India moved its headquarters to Gurgaon in the National Capital Region . Air India Express began operations on 29 April 2005 and was initially owned by Air India Charters and operates flights from South India to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In November 2022, Air India acquired AirAsia 's stake in AirAsia India, renamed it into AIX Connect and announced plans to merge it with Air India Express. Air India became
4380-475: Is a major bus service provider which operates the world's largest fleet of CNG-fuelled buses. In addition, cluster scheme buses are operated by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) with the participation of private concessionaires and DTC. In December 2017, the DTC and cluster buses carried over 4.19 million passengers per day. Kashmiri Gate ISBT , Anand Vihar ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT are
4526-581: Is a major junction in the Indian railway network and is the headquarters of the Northern Railway . The main railway stations are New Delhi , Old Delhi , Hazrat Nizamuddin , Anand Vihar , Delhi Sarai Rohilla and Delhi Cantt . The Delhi Metro , a mass rapid transit system built and operated by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), serves many parts of Delhi and the neighbouring cities Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon and Noida . As of December 2021 ,
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4672-429: Is bordered on its northern, western, and southern sides by the state of Haryana and to the east by that of Uttar Pradesh (UP). Two prominent features of the geography of Delhi are the Yamuna flood plains and the Delhi ridge . The Yamuna River was the historical boundary between Punjab and UP, and its flood plains provide fertile alluvial soil suitable for agriculture but, are prone to recurrent floods. The Yamuna,
4818-571: Is generally moderate (101–200) level between January and September, and then it drastically deteriorates to Very Poor (301–400), Severe (401–500) or Hazardous (500+) levels in three months between October and December, due to various factors including stubble burning (a type of biomass burning ), fire crackers burning during Diwali and cold weather. During 2013–14, peak levels of fine particulate matter (PM) increased by about 44%, primarily due to high vehicular and industrial emissions, construction work and crop burning in adjoining states. It has
4964-640: Is included in India's seismic zone-IV , indicating its vulnerability to major earthquakes. Delhi features a dry winter humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cwa ) bordering a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSh ). The warm season lasts from 21 March to 15 June with an average daily high temperature above 39 °C (102 °F). The hottest day of the year is usually witnessed between 26 and 30 May, with an average high of 42 °C (108 °F) and low of 27 °C (81 °F). The cold season lasts from 26 November to 9 February with an average daily high temperature below 20 °C (68 °F). The coldest day of
5110-502: Is lobbying "against the report" because it is "inconvenient" to the automobile industry. Environmentalists have also criticised the Delhi government for not doing enough to curb air pollution and to inform people about air quality issues. In 2014, an environmental panel appealed to India's Supreme Court to impose a 30% cess on diesel cars, but till date no action has been taken to penalise the automobile industry. Most of Delhi's residents are unaware of alarming levels of air pollution in
5256-456: Is located at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi , and it has secondary hubs at Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai . Air India operates some of the world's longest non-stop flights . Air India became the 27th member of Star Alliance on 11 July 2014. Air India has codeshare agreements with the following airlines: As of November 2024, Air India operates
5402-479: Is streamlining its cargo operations for optimisation of cargo handling. The airline has initiated a programme to "onboard, engage and expand with regional, national and global customers". In September 2024, Air India announced a $ 400 million refurbishment programme to modernize 67 of its older aircraft. The programme will commence with the overhaul of 27 narrow-body Airbus A320neo planes, followed by 40 wide-body Boeing aircraft. The key trends of Air India are (as of
5548-509: Is the highest in the Delhi before Supreme Court. The High Court of Delhi just like the apex court and other High Courts in India is the Court of record. Delhi is also home to various District Court according to jurisdictions. Delhi have Currently seven District Courts namely Tis Hazari Court Complex, Karkardooma Court Complex, Patiala House Court Complex, Rohini Court Complex, Dwarka Courts Complex, Saket Court Complex, and Rouse Avenue Court Apart from
5694-613: Is the original name for the city while others believe the name could be a corruption of the Hindustani words dehleez or dehali —both terms meaning "threshold" or "gateway"—and symbolic of the city as a gateway to the Gangetic Plain . The people of Delhi are referred to as Delhiites or Dilliwalas . The city is referenced in various idioms of the Northern Indo-Aryan languages . Examples include: The form Delhi , spelled in
5840-516: Is the third largest carrier in India, after IndiGo and Jet Airways with a market share of 15.4%. On 28 June 2017, the Government of India approved the privatisation of Air India and set up a committee to decide the details. In March 2018, the Government issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) to sell a 76% stake in Air India, along with low-cost airline Air India Express , and a 50% stake in AISATS,
5986-402: Is unofficial groundwater. In Delhi, daily domestic solid waste production is 8000 tonnes which is dumped at three landfill locations by MCD. The daily domestic waste water production is 470 MGD and industrial waste water is 70 MGD. A large portion of the sewage flows untreated into the Yamuna river. The city's electricity consumption is about 1,265 kWh per capita but
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6132-502: Is written in English on the fuselage, and in Hindi on the tail. The window scheme was designed in line with the slogan Your Palace in the Sky . The aircraft was earlier named after Indian kings and landmarks. In 1989, to supplement its Flying Palace livery, Air India introduced a new livery that included a metallic gold spinning wheel on a deep red-coloured tail and a Boeing 747, Rajendra Chola ,
6278-543: The Chief Commissioner's Province of Delhi . The Constitution (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991 declared the Union Territory of Delhi to be formally known as the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The Act gave Delhi its legislative assembly along Civil lines, though with limited powers. Delhi was the primary site in the nationwide anti-Sikh pogroms of 1984, which resulted in the death of around 2,800 people in
6424-617: The Airbus A350 , Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft for long haul international routes. Air India's mascot is the Maharajah (Emperor) and the erstwhile logo consisted of a flying swan with the wheel of Konark inside it, before being replaced by a new logo inspired by the airline's Jharokha window pattern in 2023. Air India had its origin in Tata Sons , founded by J. R. D. Tata , an Indian aviator and business tycoon. In April 1932, Tata won
6570-618: The Delhi Transport Corporation , the highest in India and the third highest in the world after Shenzhen and Santiago . Personal vehicles, especially cars also form a major chunk of vehicles plying on Delhi roads. As of 2007 , private vehicles account for 30% of the total demand for transport. Delhi has the highest number of registered cars compared to any other metropolitan city in India. Taxis, auto rickshaws, and cycle rickshaws also ply on Delhi roads in large numbers. As of 2008 ,
6716-626: The Lal Kot and several temples in 1052 CE. The Chauhan Rajputs under Vigraharaja IV conquered Lal Kot in the mid-12th century and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora . Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated in 1192 by Muhammad Ghori in the second battle of Tarain . Qutb-ud-din Aibak , was given the responsibility of governing the conquered territories of India after Ghori returned to his capital, Ghor . When Ghori died without an heir in 1206 CE, Qutb-ud-din assumed control of Ghori's Indian possessions and laid
6862-586: The Latin script with the h following the l , originated under colonial rule and is an alternation of the spelling based on the Urdu name of the city ( دہلی , Dehli ). Traditionally seven cities have been associated with the region of Delhi. The earliest, Indraprastha , is part of a literary description in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata (composed c. 400 BCE to 300 CE but describing an earlier time ) which situates
7008-440: The Ministry of Civil Aviation charged Michael Mascarenhas, the then-managing director, with corruption. According to the ministry reports, the airline lost approximately ₹ 570 million (US$ 6.8 million) because of extra commissions that Mascarenhas sanctioned and he was later suspended from the airline. In May 2004, Air India launched a wholly owned low cost subsidiary called Air-India Express connecting cities in India with
7154-673: The Thales i5000 on the legacy 777 product, the Thales i8000 on the 787-8s, to the Panasonic eX3 on the A350-900 and ex-Delta 777-200LRs. The legacy 777 and 787 product will be replaced with Thales' Avant Up system. Thales will also line the yet-to-be-delivered 787-9s and further deliveries of the A350-900 with the same system. Namaste.ai is the current in-flight magazine published in English by Air India. It replaced Shubh Yatra (meaning Happy Journey ), which
7300-556: The World Health Organization (WHO), Delhi was the most polluted city in the world in 2014. In 2016, WHO downgraded Delhi to eleventh-worst in the urban air quality database. However, as recently as 2022, data from the WHO and IQAir, alongside comprehensive research, ranked Delhi as the fourth most polluted city globally. According to one estimate, air pollution causes the death of about 10,500 people every year. Air quality index
7446-405: The largest metropolitan area in India and the second-largest in the world (after Tokyo ). The topography of the medieval fort Purana Qila on the banks of the river Yamuna matches the literary description of the citadel Indraprastha in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata ; however, excavations in the area have revealed no signs of an ancient built environment. From the early 13th century until
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#17328479753067592-423: The second-highest GDP per capita in India (after Goa ). Although a union territory , the political administration of the NCT of Delhi today more closely resembles that of a state of India , with its own legislature, high court and an executive council of ministers headed by a chief minister . New Delhi is jointly administered by the union government of India and the local government of Delhi , and serves as
7738-708: The seven cities of Delhi . Delhi was a major centre of Sufism during this period. The Mamluk Sultanate (Delhi) was overthrown in 1290 by Jalal ud din Firuz Khalji (1290–1320). Under the second Khalji ruler, Ala-ud-din Khalji , the Delhi sultanate extended its control south of the Narmada River in the Deccan . The Delhi sultanate reached its greatest extent during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq (1325–1351). In an attempt to bring
7884-526: The "main national airline" and often a sign of their country's presence abroad. The heavily regulated aviation industry also meant aviation rights are often negotiated between governments, denying airlines access to an open market. These Bilateral Air Transport Agreements similar to the Bermuda I and Bermuda II agreements specify rights awardable only to locally registered airlines, forcing some governments to jump-start airlines to avoid being disadvantaged in
8030-406: The 2011 census, Delhi's city proper population was over 11 million, while the NCT's population was about 16.8 million. Delhi's urban agglomeration, which includes the satellite cities Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon , Noida , Greater Noida and YEIDA city located in an area known as the National Capital Region (NCR), has an estimated population of over 28 million, making it
8176-891: The Air Corporations Act and purchased a majority stake in the carrier from Tata Sons though its founder J. R. D. Tata would continue as chairman until 1977. The company was renamed as Air India International Limited and the domestic services were transferred to Indian Airlines as a part of restructuring. From 1948 to 1950, the airline introduced services to Nairobi in Africa and to major European destinations Rome, Paris and Düsseldorf . The airline took delivery of its first Lockheed Constellation L-1049 named Rani of Jhansi (registered VT-DGL ) and inaugurated services to Bangkok , Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. On 21 February 1960, Air India International inducted its first Boeing 707 –420 named Gauri Shankar (registered VT-DJJ ), thereby becoming
8322-520: The Congress. However, that government was short-lived, collapsing only after 49 days. Delhi was then under President's rule until February 2015, after which AAP returned to power after a landslide victory, winning 67 out of the 70 seats in the Delhi Legislative Assembly . AAP holds power ever since. Delhi is the largest commercial center in northern India. As of 2016 recent estimates of
8468-610: The Delhi Metro, a suburban railway, the Delhi Suburban Railway exists. The Delhi Metro is a rapid transit system serving Delhi, Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon and Noida in the National Capital Region of India. It is the world's tenth-largest metro system by length of lines. It was India's second modern public transportation system. The network consists of 10 colour-coded lines serving 255 stations with
8614-482: The District Courts Delhi also have Consumer Courts, CBI Courts, Labour Courts, Revenue Courts, Army tribunals, electricity tribunals, Railway Tribunals, and other various tribunals situated according to appropriate jurisdictions. For policing purposes Delhi is divided into fifteen police districts which are further subdivided into 95 local police station zones. Delhi currently has 180 police stations. As
8760-536: The Dreamliners. On 14 February 2023, Air India announced an order for 470 aircraft with Airbus and Boeing consisting of 210 A320neo family , 40 A350 , 190 737 MAX , 20 787-9 , and 10 777-9 aircraft for US$ 70 billion with deliveries beginning late 2023. This order was expanded on 5 September 2024 with 75 A320neo family and 10 A350 aircraft, converted from options. The Boeing 777-200LRs/777-300ERs that have operated with Air India since before its privatization have
8906-667: The Indian government on 30 August 2024. On 12 November 2024, the merger between Vistara and Air India was completed. On 15 September 2022, the Tata Group announced Vihaan, a five-year transformation goal aimed at restructuring and transforming Air India in phases. As part of the plan, Air India announced flights to additional international destinations. The route expansion was supported by improving air-worthiness of existing fleet and leasing aircraft from other airlines. On 14 February 2023, Air India announced an order for 470 aircraft consisting of including 250 from Airbus and 220 from Boeing at
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#17328479753069052-572: The Middle East and Southeast Asia. Until 2007, Air India mainly operated on international long-haul routes while Indian Airlines operated on domestic and international short-haul routes. In 2007, Air India and Indian Airlines were merged under Air India Limited and the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 777 aircraft. The airline was invited to be a part of the Star Alliance in 2007. The combined losses for Air India and Indian Airlines in 2006–07 were ₹ 7.7 billion (US$ 92 million) and after
9198-723: The Mughals in the First Battle of Delhi. In 1739, the Mughal Empire lost the huge Battle of Karnal in less than three hours against the numerically outnumbered but militarily superior Persian army led by Nader Shah of Persia. After his invasion , he completely sacked and looted Delhi , carrying away immense wealth including the Peacock Throne , the Daria-i-Noor , and Koh-i-Noor . The Mughals, severely further weakened, could never overcome this crushing defeat and humiliation which also left
9344-493: The NCT of Delhi is made up of one division , 11 districts , 33 subdivisions , 59 census towns, and 300 villages. On the other way, the NCT of Delhi is divided into three municipalities. The boundaries of municipalities may be different from district boundaries: Between 13 January 2011 and 22 May 2022, MCD was divided into three municipal corporations: Delhi is home to the High Court of Delhi . The High Court of Delhi
9490-554: The Public Works Department (PWD) which is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Delhi while some are maintained by Delhi Development Authority and New Delhi Municipal Council which are under the jurisdiction of the Government of India . Roads and streets less than 60 ft (18 m) wide are maintained by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi . Roads and streets in unauthorised colonies are maintained by
9636-583: The United States from India. However, the airline shut down the Frankfurt hub on 30 October 2010 because of high operating costs. In 2010, financially less lucrative routes were terminated and the airline planned to open a new hub for its international flights at Dubai . In 2012, a study commissioned by the Corporate Affairs Ministry recommended that Air India should be partly privatised. In May 2012,
9782-450: The Yamuna River, Delhi continues to retain over 500 ponds (wetlands < 5 ha (12 acres)), that in turn support a considerable number of bird species. Delhi's ponds, despite experiencing ecological deterioration due to garbage dumping and concretisation, support the largest number of bird species known to be using ponds anywhere in the world. Existing policy in Delhi prevents the conversion of wetlands and, quite inadvertently, has led to
9928-565: The actual demand is higher. In Delhi power distribution is managed by TPDDL and BSES Yamuna & BSES Rajdhani since 2002, transmission of power is done by Delhi Transco Limited and Powergrid , while generation of power is by IPGCL and PPCL . The city also imports a significant quantum of power from other states. The Delhi Fire Service runs 43 fire stations that attend about 15,000 fire and rescue calls per year. The state-owned MTNL and private enterprises such as Airtel , Vi , Jio , and provide telephone and cell phone services to
10074-456: The aircraft was named as Bihar . Air India received its first Boeing 787 dreamliner aircraft on 6 September 2012 and commenced flights on 19 September 2012. Air India One is the call sign of any Air India aircraft carrying the prime minister, president or the vice-president . Though the call-sign of Air India is used, these flights are operated on customized Boeing 777-300ER aircraft owned by Indian Air Force and maintained by Air India on
10220-803: The airline appointed veteran pilot SPS Puri as its head of operations. The appointment was criticised by the Air India pilots union as Puri allegedly has multiple violations to his name. Air India became the 27th member of Star Alliance on 11 July 2014. In August 2015, it signed an agreement with Citibank and State Bank of India to raise $ 300 million in external commercial borrowing to meet working capital requirements. For FY 2014–15, its revenue, operating loss and net loss were ₹ 198 billion (US$ 2.4 billion), ₹ 2.171 billion (US$ 26 million) and ₹ 5.41 billion (US$ 65 million) compared FY 2011–12, which were ₹ 147 billion (US$ 1.8 billion), ₹ 5.138 billion (US$ 62 million) and ₹ 7.55 billion (US$ 90 million). As of February 2016, Air India
10366-541: The airline serves 102 domestic and international destinations operating a variety of Airbus and Boeing aircraft and is the second-largest airline in India in terms of passengers carried after IndiGo . Air India became the 27th member of Star Alliance on 11 July 2014. Founded in 1932 as Tata Airlines by J. R. D. Tata , Tata himself flew its first single-engine de Havilland Puss Moth , carrying air mail from Karachi to Bombay's Juhu aerodrome and later continuing to Madras (currently Chennai ). After World War II, it
10512-587: The attack, which caused a major diplomatic crisis between the two countries. There were further terrorist attacks in Delhi in 2005 and 2008 , resulting in a total of 92 deaths. In 2020, Delhi witnessed worst communal violence in decades. The riots, caused mainly by Hindu mobs attacking Muslims, 53 people were killed, two-thirds were Muslims, and the rest Hindus . Delhi is located in Northern India , at 28°37′N 77°14′E / 28.61°N 77.23°E / 28.61; 77.23 . The city
10658-539: The average maximum temperature during winters has declined notably since 1998 due to rising air pollution. India's Ministry of Earth Sciences published a research paper in October 2018 attributing almost 41% of PM2.5 air pollution in Delhi to vehicular emissions, 21.5% to dust/fire and 18% to industries. The director of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) alleged that the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
10804-407: The capital of the nation as well as the NCT of Delhi. Delhi is also the centre of the National Capital Region, which is an "interstate regional planning" area created in 1985. Delhi hosted the inaugural 1951 Asian Games , the 1982 Asian Games , the 1983 Non-Aligned Movement summit, the 2010 Men's Hockey World Cup , the 2010 Commonwealth Games , the 2012 BRICS summit , the 2023 G20 summit , and
10950-497: The carrier invited offers from banks to raise $ 800 million via external commercial borrowing and bridge financing . In May 2012, the airline was fined $ 80,000 by the US Transportation Department for failing to post customer service and tarmac delay contingency plans on its website and adequately inform passengers about its optional fees. In 2013, the then-Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh stated privatisation
11096-613: The chairman of Tata Sons was appointed as the chairman of the airline and in May 2022, Campbell Wilson was announced as the CEO and MD . After the airline's acquisition, Tata Group began discussion on bringing the other airlines including Vistara and AirAsia India where it held a stake under a unified umbrella. In November 2022, Air India acquired AirAsia 's stake in AirAsia India, renamed it into AIX Connect and announced plans to merge it with Air India Express. On 29 November 2022, Air India announced
11242-604: The city according to government figures, though independent estimates of the number of people killed tend to be higher. The riots were set off by the assassination of Indira Gandhi —the Prime Minister of India at the time—by her Sikh bodyguards. In 2001, the Parliament of India building in New Delhi was attacked by armed militants, killing six security personnel. India suspected Pakistan-based Jihadist militant groups were behind
11388-508: The city and the health risks associated with it. In 2020, annual average PM2.5 in the city stood at 107.6 μg/m , which is almost 21.5 times the WHO's PM2.5 Guideline (5 μg/m ; set in September 2021). These pollution levels are estimated to reduce the life expectancy of an average person living in Delhi by almost 10.1 years. However, as of 2015 , awareness, particularly among the foreign diplomatic community and high-income Indians,
11534-724: The city as part of the Panchayati Raj Act . The Government of India and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi jointly administer New Delhi, where both bodies are located. The Parliament of India , the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace), Cabinet Secretariat , and the Supreme Court of India are located in the municipal district of New Delhi. There are 70 assembly constituencies and seven Lok Sabha (Indian Parliament's lower house) constituencies in Delhi. The Indian National Congress (Congress) formed all
11680-437: The city migrated to Pakistan. Ethnic Punjabis are believed to account for at least 40% of Delhi's total population and are predominantly Hindi -speaking Punjabi Hindus . Migration to Delhi from the rest of India continues (as of 2013 ), contributing more to the rise of Delhi's population than the birth rate, which is declining. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 created the Union Territory of Delhi from its predecessor,
11826-430: The city's ponds becoming invaluable refugia for birds. The National Capital Territory of Delhi covers an area of 1,483 km (573 sq mi), of which 783 km (302 sq mi) is designated rural, and 700 km (270 sq mi) urban therefore making it the largest city in terms of area in the country. It has a length of 51.9 km (32 mi) and a width of 48.48 km (30 mi). Delhi
11972-617: The city. However, according to several authors, most of these gains have been lost, especially due to stubble burning , a rise in the market share of diesel cars and a considerable decline in bus ridership. According to CSE and System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), burning of agricultural waste in nearby Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh regions results in severe intensification of smog over Delhi. Delhi has been ranked 7th best "National Clean Air City" (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' Currently,
12118-584: The city. Cellular coverage is available in GSM , 3G , 4G , 4G+ and 5G . Indira Gandhi International Airport , situated to the south-west of Delhi, is the main gateway for the city's domestic and international civilian air traffic. In 2015–16, the airport handled more than 48 million passengers, making it the busiest airport in India and South Asia. Terminal 3, which cost ₹ 96.8 billion (US$ 1.2 billion) to construct between 2007 and 2010, handles an additional 37 million passengers annually. In 2010, IGIA
12264-476: The city. Delhi's large consumer market and the availability of skilled labour has also attracted foreign investment. In 2001, the manufacturing sector employed 1,440,000 workers and the city had 129,000 industrial units. Delhi's municipal water supply is managed by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). As of June 2005 , it supplied 650 million gallons per day (MGD), whereas the estimated consumption requirement
12410-511: The coins in circulation in the region under the Tomaras were called dehliwal . According to the Bhavishya Purana , King Prithiviraja of Indraprastha built a new fort in the modern-day Purana Qila area for the convenience of all four castes in his kingdom. He ordered the construction of a gateway to the fort and later named the fort dehali . Some historians believe that Dhilli or Dhillika
12556-521: The conversion of Delhi's fleet of buses and taxis to run on CNG and banned the use of leaded petrol in 1998. In 2003, Delhi won the United States Department of Energy 's first 'Clean Cities International Partner of the Year' award for its "bold efforts to curb air pollution and support alternative fuel initiatives". The Delhi Metro has also been credited for significantly reducing air pollutants in
12702-416: The early days of commercial aviation when governments often took the lead by establishing state-owned airlines because of the high capital costs of running them. However, not all such airlines were government-owned; Pan Am , TWA , Cathay Pacific , Union de Transports Aériens , Canadian Pacific Air Lines and Olympic Airlines were all privately owned, but were considered to be flag carriers as they were
12848-426: The economy of the Delhi urban area have ranged from $ 370 billion to $ 400 billion ( PPP metro GDP ) ranking it either the most or second-most productive metro area of India. The nominal GSDP of the NCT of Delhi for 2016–17 was estimated at ₹ 6,224 billion (US$ 75 billion), 13% higher than in 2015–16. Oxford Economics Global Cities index 2024 ranked Delhi as best city in India and 108th best city in
12994-577: The eleventh century BCE; no signs of a built environment, much fewer fortifications, have been revealed." The earliest architectural relics date back to the Maurya period (c. 300 BCE); in 1966, an inscription of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (273–235 BCE) was discovered near Srinivaspuri. Remains of several major cities can be found in Delhi. The first of these was in the southern part of present-day Delhi. Tomara Rajput King Anang Pal built
13140-516: The evacuation of civilians during wars. The airline entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people evacuated by civil airliner. Over 111,000 people were evacuated from Amman to Mumbai, a distance of 4,117 kilometres (2,558 mi), by operating 488 flights from 13 August to 11 October 1990 – lasting 59 days. The operation was carried out during Persian Gulf War to evacuate Indian expatriates from Kuwait and Iraq . The event
13286-421: The face of foreign competition. Some countries also establish flag carriers such as Israel 's El Al or Lebanon 's Middle East Airlines for nationalist reasons or to aid the country's economy, particularly in the area of tourism. In many cases, governments would directly assist in the growth of their flag carriers typically through subsidies and other fiscal incentives. The establishment of competitors in
13432-702: The financial year ending 31 March): Air India Limited is headquartered in Gurgaon , Haryana , in Sector 16. Its head office is in 180,000 square feet (17,000 m) of leased space on the ground floor and floors 1-6 in Block 5 in the Vatika One-on-One complex, and the lease began on 29 September 2023. Air India Express, since 2024, occupies space in the same complex. Air India moved its headquarters from Air India Building , Mumbai to Delhi in 2013. The former Mumbai headquarters
13578-593: The first Asian airline to induct a jet aircraft in its fleet. In 1971, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747-200B named Emperor Ashoka (registered VT-EBD ) In 1986, Air India took delivery of its first Airbus A310-300. On 4 August 1993, Air India took the delivery of its first Boeing 747-400 named Konark (registered VT-ESM ) In 1989, Indian Airlines introduced the Airbus A320-200 aircraft, which Air India now uses to operate both domestic and international short haul flights. In 2005, Indian Airlines introduced
13724-402: The first Asian airline to induct a jet aircraft in its fleet. The airline inaugurated services to New York on 14 May 1960. On 8 June 1962, the airline's name was officially truncated to Air India and 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 ) and introduced
13870-451: The first Asian airline to operate freighters when Air India Cargo was set up in 1954 and started its freighter operations with a Douglas DC-3 aircraft. Air India Cargo ended freighter aircraft operations in early 2012. Alliance Air was a wholly owned subsidiary of Indian Airlines established on 1 April 1996. It started operations on 21 June 1996. It was renamed Air India Regional after the merger between Air India and Indian Airlines. It
14016-458: The first aircraft to be re-branded. Air India maintained a collection of Indian art from 1956 comprising works of important Indian artists and photographers, sculptures, wood carvings, glass paintings, rare textiles etc. The artworks were often sent to be hung in Air India booking offices around the world and used in promotional material. In 1967, the company commissioned ashtrays from Salvador Dalí and gifted an elephant calf as payment. In 2010,
14162-406: The form of other locally registered airlines may be prohibited or heavily regulated to avoid direct competition. Even where privately run airlines may be allowed to be established, the flag carriers may still be accorded priority, especially in the apportionment of aviation rights to local or international markets. Near the end of the 20th century, many of these airlines have been corporatized as
14308-557: The foundation of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mamluk dynasty . He began construction of the Qutb Minar and Quwwat-al-Islam (Might of Islam) mosque, the earliest extant mosque in India. It was his successor, Iltutmish (1211–1236), who consolidated the conquest of northern India. At 72.5 m (238 ft), the Qutb Minar , a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Delhi, was completed during
14454-441: The front door to the rear door. After the airline's acquisition by the Tata Group, the airline revealed its brand new logo and livery on 10 August 2023. The new livery features a palette of deep red, aubergine, and gold with chakra pattern and the new logo is inspired by the airline's Jharokha window pattern. In December 2023, the airline unveiled new uniforms for its crew and rolled out its new identity with an Airbus A350-900 ,
14600-497: The governments in Delhi until the 1990s, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Madan Lal Khurana , came to power. In 1998, the Congress returned to power under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit , who was subsequently re-elected for 3 consecutive terms. But in 2013 , the Congress was ousted from power by the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal forming the government with outside support from
14746-410: The highest level of the airborne particulate matter, PM2.5 considered most harmful to health, with 153 micrograms. Rising air pollution level has significantly increased lung-related ailments (especially asthma and lung cancer) among Delhi's children and women. The dense smog and haze during winter results in major air and rail traffic disruptions every year. According to Indian meteorologists,
14892-529: The last date for submission of interest was extended multiple times and the Government eventually received EOIs from seven parties by December 2020. Five of these parties were disqualified and the Government invited financial bids for Air India from the two qualified parties in September 2021. In September 2021, Spice Jet 's Ajay Singh -led consortium and Tata Sons submitted their financial bids for Air India. On 8 October 2021, Air India along with its low cost carrier Air India Express and fifty per cent of AISATS,
15038-500: The local Member of the Legislative Assembly . Buses are the most popular means of road transport, catering to about 60% of Delhi's total demand. Delhi has one of India's largest bus transport systems. In 1998, the Supreme Court of India ruled that all public transport vehicles in Delhi must be fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG) to tackle increasing vehicular pollution. The state-owned Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC)
15184-591: The main bus terminals for outstation buses plying to neighbouring states. Delhi's rapid rate of economic development and population growth has resulted in an increasing demand for transport, creating excessive pressure on the city's transport infrastructure. To meet the transport demand, the State and Union government constructed a mass rapid transit system, including the Delhi Metro. Delhi Bus Rapid Transit System runs between Ambedkar Nagar and Delhi Gate . As per February 2024, Delhi has around 1,650 electric buses managed by
15330-404: The mascot would only be used in certain aspects of the airline like the premium lounges and crockery. Air India's colour scheme is red and white. The aircraft was painted white with red palace-style carvings on the outside of the windows and the airline's name written in red. The name is written in Hindi on the port side fuselage and in English on the port side tail. On the starboard side, the name
15476-506: The merger between Air India and Vistara was completed, and former Vistara aircraft now operate under Air India. With the merger, Air India customers can, in addition to Air India's own hard product, also experience Vistara's cabin, including its three-class 787-9 Dreamliners (as opposed to Air India's own two-class 787-8 Dreamliners). Air India's widebody fleet is equipped with personal on-demand in-flight entertainment systems on which passengers can choose from available content. This varies from
15622-451: The merger with Vistara by March 2024 with Singapore Airlines which owns a 49% stake in Vistara getting a 25% stake in the newly formed airline. Vistara brand would be discontinued post the merger and the brand will operate under the Air India name. The National Company Law Tribunal approved the merger between Air India and Vistara on 6 June 2024, followed by Singapore Airlines' FDI approval by
15768-509: The merger, it went up to ₹ 72 billion (US$ 860 million) by March 2009. In July 2009, State Bank of India was appointed to prepare a road map for the recovery of the airline. The carrier sold three Airbus A300 and one Boeing 747-300M in March 2009 for $ 18.75 million to finance the debt. By March 2011, Air India had accumulated a debt of ₹ 426 billion (US$ 5.1 billion) and an operating loss of ₹ 220 billion (US$ 2.6 billion), and
15914-533: The metro consists of ten operational lines with a total length of 348.12 km (216.31 mi) and 254 stations , and several other lines are under construction. The Phase-I was built at a cost of US$ 2.3 billion and the Phase-II was expected to cost an additional ₹ 216 billion (US$ 2.6 billion). Phase-II has a total length of 128 km (80 mi) and was completed by 2010. Delhi Metro completed 10 years of operation on 25 December 2012. It carries millions of passengers every day. In addition to
16060-676: The mid-19th century, Delhi was the capital of two major empires, the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire , which covered large parts of South Asia . All three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city, the Qutub Minar , Humayun's Tomb , and the Red Fort , belong to this period. Delhi was the early centre of Sufism and Qawwali music. The names of Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusrau are prominently associated with it. The Khariboli dialect of Delhi
16206-467: The national identity of that country. Such an airline may also be known as a national airline or a national carrier , although this can have different legal meanings in some countries. Today, it is any international airline with a strong connection to its home country or that represents its home country internationally, regardless of whether it is government-owned. Flag carriers may also be known as such due to laws requiring aircraft or ships to display
16352-420: The newly acquired Boeing 787 Dreamliners . In March 2013, the airline posted its first positive EBITDA after almost six years and 20% growth in its operating revenue since the previous financial year. Air India Limited split its engineering and cargo businesses into two separate subsidiaries, Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) and Air India Transport Services Limited (AITSL) in 2013. In December 2013,
16498-407: The number of vehicles in the metropolitan region, Delhi NCR, was 11.2 million (11.2 million). In 2008, there were 85 cars in Delhi for every 1,000 of its residents. In 2017, the number of vehicles in Delhi city alone crossed the ten million mark with the transport department of Delhi Government putting the total number of registered vehicles at 10,567,712 until 25 May of the year. Delhi
16644-485: The president and the prime minister. Delhi has the highest road density of 2103 km/100 km in India . It is connected to other parts of India by five National Highways : NH 1 , NH 2 , NH 8 , NH 10 and NH 24 . The Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Kolkata prongs of the Golden Quadrilateral start from the city. The majority of the city's roads which are 60 ft (18 m) wide or above are maintained by
16790-627: The reign of Sultan Illtutmish in the 13th century. Although its style has some similarities with the Jarkurgan minaret , it is more closely related to the Ghaznavid and Ghurid minarets of Central Asia Razia , daughter of Iltutmish, became the Sultana of Delhi upon the former's death. For the next three hundred years, Delhi was ruled by a succession of Turkic , Indian and an Afghan , Lodi dynasty . They built several forts and townships that are part of
16936-530: The result that there is no single "flag carrier". The chart below lists airlines considered to be a "flag carrier", based on current or former state ownership or other verifiable designation as a national airline. Minority (20.05%) in the Lufthansa Group acquired in 2020 was sold in 2022. Delhi Delhi , officially the National Capital Territory ( NCT ) of Delhi , is a city and
17082-554: The smaller A319, which is now used mainly on domestic and regional routes. After the merger in 2007, Air India inducted the A321, to operate mainly on international short-haul routes and leased the Airbus A330s to operate on medium-long haul international routes. The airline's first Boeing 777-200LR aircraft was delivered on 26 July 2007, which was named Andhra Pradesh . Air India received its first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on 9 October 2007 and
17228-465: The state flag of the country of their registry . For example, under the law of the United States, a U.S. flag air carrier is any airline that holds a certificate under Section 401 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (i.e., any U.S.-based airline operating internationally), and any ship registered in the United States is known as a U.S. flag vessel . The term "flag carrier" is a legacy of
17374-547: The total workforce in national and state governments and the quasi-government sector was 594,000, and the private sector employed 273,000. Key service industries are information technology, telecommunications, hotels, banking, media and tourism. Construction, power, health and community services and real estate are also important to the city's economy. Delhi has one of India's largest and fastest growing retail industries. Manufacturing also grew considerably as consumer goods companies established manufacturing units and headquarters in
17520-535: The way open for more invaders to come, including eventually the British . Nader eventually agreed to leave the city and India after forcing the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah I to beg him for mercy and granting him the keys of the city and the royal treasury. A treaty signed in 1752 made Marathas the protectors of the Mughal throne in Delhi. The city was sacked again in 1757 by the forces of Ahmad Shah Durrani , although it
17666-529: The wheel of Konark placed inside it. The flying swan was morphed from the centaur logo and the chakra was derived from Indian's erstwhile logo. On 15 May 2007, Air India refreshed its livery, making the Rajasthani arches along the windows slightly smaller, extending a stylised line from the tail of the aircraft to the nose and painting the underbelly red. The new logo features on the tail and the engine covers with red and orange lines running parallel to each other from
17812-469: The whole of the Deccan under control, he moved his capital to Daulatabad, Maharashtra in central India. However, by moving away from Delhi he lost control of the north and was forced to return to Delhi to restore order. The southern provinces then broke away. In the years following the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388), the Delhi Sultanate rapidly began to lose its hold over its northern provinces. Delhi
17958-653: The world in Economics Category. As per the Economic survey of Delhi (2005–2006), the tertiary sector contributes 70.95% of Delhi's gross SDP followed by secondary and primary sectors with 25.20% and 3.85% contributions, respectively. Delhi's workforce constitutes 32.82% of the population, and increased by 52.52% between 1991 and 2001. Delhi's unemployment rate decreased from 12.57% in 1999–2000 to 4.63% in 2003. In December 2004, 636,000 people were registered with various employment exchange programmes in Delhi. In 2018
18104-589: The year is usually witnessed between 1 and 10 January, with an average low of 6.9 °C (44.4 °F) and high of 19.3 °C (66.7 °F). In early March, the wind direction changes from north-westerly to south-westerly. From April to October the weather is hot. The monsoon arrives at the end of June, along with an increase in humidity. The brief, mild winter starts in late November, peaks in January and heavy fog often occurs. Delhi receives an average annual precipitation of 774.4 mm (30.49 in). According to
18250-410: Was nationalised by the Government of India in 1953 and was renamed Air India . On 21 February 1960, it took delivery of its first Boeing 707 named Gauri Shankar and became the first Asian airline to induct a jet aircraft in its fleet. In 2000–01, attempts were made to privatise Air India and from 2006 onwards, it suffered losses after its merger with Indian Airlines . Another privatization attempt
18396-419: Was India's first frequent flyer programme and is shared by Air India and its subsidiaries. A member can earn mileage points and redeem them during future travel. On higher fares, passengers will earn bonus miles and clock mileage points. Following the merger of Air India and Vistara, Flying Returns and Club Vistara were combined and rebranded as Maharaja Club. As the flag carrier, Air India is often involved in
18542-487: Was a bilingual in-flight magazine published in English and Hindi. On 4 September 2024, Air India announced that it will introduce Wi-Fi on board across its fleet by the end of the year. The airline deployed free Wi-Fi in November 2024 on its Airbus A350, A321neo and Boeing 787-9 fleet. Other planes will get Wi-Fi connectivity after they go through a refurbishment. Flying Returns was Air India's frequent-flyer programme . It
18688-535: Was based at Safdarjung Airport which started operations in 1929, when it was the Delhi's only airport and the second in India. The airport functioned until 2001; however, in January 2002 the government closed the airport for flying activities because of security concerns following the New York attacks in September 2001 . Since then, the club only carries out aircraft maintenance courses and is used for helicopter rides to Indira Gandhi International Airport for VIP including
18834-553: Was captured and sacked by Timur in 1398, who massacred 100,000 captive civilians. Delhi's decline continued under the Sayyid dynasty (1414–1451), until the sultanate was reduced to Delhi and its hinterland. Under the Afghan Lodi dynasty (1451–1526), the sultanate recovered control of Punjab and the Gangetic plain to once again achieve domination over Northern India. However, the recovery
18980-683: Was conferred the 4th best airport award in the world in the 15–25 million category, by Airports Council International . The airport was rated as the Best airport in the world in the 25–40 million passengers category in 2015, by Airports Council International. Delhi Airport was awarded The Best Airport in Central Asia and Best Airport Staff in Central Asia at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2015. Hindon Domestic Airport in Ghaziabad
19126-721: Was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the second airport for the Delhi-NCR Region on 8 March 2019. A second international airport open for commercial flights has been suggested either by expansion of Meerut Airport or construction of a new airport in Greater Noida . The Taj International Airport project in Jewar has been approved by the Uttar Pradesh government. The Delhi Flying Club , established in 1928 with two de Havilland Moth aircraft named Delhi and Roshanara ,
19272-599: Was inaugurated on 13 February 1931. New Delhi was officially declared as the capital of the Union of India after the country gained independence on 15 August 1947. It has expanded since; the small part of it that was constructed during the British period has come to be informally known as Lutyens' Delhi . During the partition of India , around five hundred thousand Hindu and Sikh refugees, mainly from West Punjab fled to Delhi, while around three hundred thousand Muslim residents of
19418-438: Was later featured in the film Airlift . Flag carrier A flag carrier is a transport company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given sovereign state , enjoys preferential rights or privileges accorded by the government for international operations. Historically, the term was used to refer to airlines owned by the government of their home country and associated with
19564-501: Was launched in 2017, which concluded with ownership of the airline and associated properties return to the Tata Group after 69 years in 2022. Air India also operates flights to domestic and Asian destinations through its subsidiary Air India Express . Air India operates a mix of narrow body aircraft such as the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 used for most domestic and short-haul international routes and wide body aircraft such as
19710-781: Was not annexed by the Afghan Empire and being its vassal state under the Mughal emperor. Then the Marathas battled and won control of Delhi from the Afghans. In 1803, during the Second Anglo-Maratha War , the forces of British East India Company defeated the Maratha forces in the Battle of Delhi . During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , Delhi fell to the forces of East India Company after
19856-506: Was noticeably increasing. Since the mid-1990s, Delhi has undertaken some measures to curb air pollution—it has the third-highest quantity of trees among Indian cities; the Delhi Transport Corporation operates the world's largest fleet of environmentally friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. In 1996, the CSE started a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court of India that ordered
20002-462: Was one of the major host cities of the 2011 and 2023 Cricket World Cups . There are a number of myths and legends associated with the origin of the name Delhi . One of them is derived from Dhillu or Dilu , a king who built a city at this location in 50 BCE and named it after himself. Another legend holds that the name of the city is based on the Prakrit word dhili ( loose ) and that it
20148-513: Was part of a linguistic development that gave rise to the literature of Urdu and later Modern Standard Hindi . Major Urdu poets from Delhi include Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Ghalib . Delhi was a notable centre of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . In 1911, New Delhi , a southern region within Delhi, became the capital of the British Indian Empire . During the Partition of India in 1947, Delhi
20294-463: Was renamed back to Alliance Air in 2017 and ceased being a subsidiary of Air India in April 2022 when the Government of India sold Air India to the Tata Group. Air India's mascot is the Maharajah ( high king ). It was created by Bobby Kooka, the then-commercial director of Air India, and Umesh Rao, an artist with J. Walter Thompson Limited in 1946. Kooka stated that, "We call him a Maharajah for want of
20440-630: Was seeking ₹ 429 billion (US$ 5.1 billion) from the government. A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General blamed the decision to buy 111 new planes and the ill-timed merger with Indian Airlines for the poor financial situation. In August 2011, the invitation to join Star Alliance was suspended as a result of its failure to meet the minimum standards for the membership. The government pumped ₹ 32 billion (US$ 380 million) into Air India in March 2012. On 1 March 2009, Air India made Frankfurt Airport its international hub for onward connections to
20586-592: Was short-lived and the sultanate was destroyed in 1526 by Babur , founder of the Mughal dynasty . In 1526, Babur , a descendant of Genghis Khan and Timur from the Fergana Valley in modern-day Uzbekistan , invaded India and defeated the last Lodhi sultan in the First Battle of Panipat and founded the Mughal Empire that ruled from Delhi and Agra . The Mughal dynasty ruled Delhi for more than three centuries, with
20732-414: Was the first aircraft to be painted in the new colours. The first logo of Air India was a centaur , a stylised version of Sagittarius shooting an arrow in a circle representing the wheel of Konark . The logo chosen by founder J. R. D. Tata was introduced in 1948 and represented the airline until 2007. On 22 May 2007, Air India and Indian Airlines unveiled their new livery consisting of a Flying Swan with
20878-500: Was the key to the airline's survival. However, the opposition led by the BJP and the CPI(M) slammed the government. In 2013, the Indian government planned to delay equity infusion of ₹ 300 billion (US$ 3.6 billion) that was slated to be infused into the airline slowly over eight years. In January 2013, Air India cleared a part of its pending dues through funds raised by selling and leasing back
21024-542: Was transferred to the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in Mumbai in January 2023. The art was put up for exhibition titled Maharaja's Treasure: Select Works of Art from the Famed Air India Collection . As of April 2024, Air India flies to a total of 84 destinations, including 44 domestic destinations and 40 international destinations in 37 countries across five continents around the world. Its primary hub
21170-538: Was transformed from a Mughal city to a Punjabi one, losing two-thirds of its Muslim residents, in part due to the pressure brought to bear by arriving Hindu and Sikh refugees from western Punjab. After independence in 1947, New Delhi continued as the capital of the Dominion of India , and after 1950 of the Republic of India . Delhi ranks fifth among the Indian states and union territories in human development index , and has
21316-608: Was used by the Tomaras to refer to the city because the iron pillar of Delhi had a weak foundation and had to be moved. According to Panjab Notes and Queries, the name of the city at the time of King Prithviraj was dilpat , and that dilpat and dilli are probably derived from the old Hindi word dil meaning "eminence". The former director of the Archaeological Survey of India, Alexander Cunningham, mentioned that dilli later became dihli/dehli . Some suggest
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