The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had unregistered this April KingThe last remaining four queens of the sky. If and when AI plans to re-use them for commercial flights, it will have to go through a return to service program to allow them to be re-registered.
So technically after going through this process, AI can re-use these planes which are about 30 years old. But given their age, paucity of parts, condition of the cabin and most importantly the investment required, it remains to be seen whether that happens.
Comments have been sought from AI on the issue and response is awaited.
The airline got its first jumbo jet, named Emperor Ashokain 1971. With 747, AI Under JRD Tata had set new levels of inflight luxury. It featured a special “Palace in the Sky” livery and design for this aircraft. sumptuously decorated stairs to the upper deck; ventilated flight panel; Dewan and Bar were far ahead of their time when JRD himself introduced these beautiful machines onboard in 1970.
For about two years, B747s flew the President, VP and PM on medium to long international trips. They could not fly directly to the US and stayed in Europe, mostly in Frankfurt. Then India got two state-of-the-art Boeing 777s – which would be dedicated to dignitaries as opposed to jumbos that do both VVIP and regular flights – that can fly nonstop to and from India almost anywhere on the planet.
There was little use for the four-engined double-decker, especially after fuel prices began to skyrocket after VVIP duty was abolished. They flew mainly until 2021, exactly 50 years. The last high-profile assignment done by these curvy beauties was flying from Delhi to Wuhan in early 2020 to bring back Indian students from the epicenter of Covid.
“The 747 will continue to be the signature product of AI, which is handled directly by JRD. Tatas are back in AI as owners, hoping they can recreate the magic with fleet improvement plans,” said a senior pilot. The Revised AI website shows these aircraft as part of its fleet – the single aisle Airbus A320 family (319, 320 and 321) and the wide body B777 and B787.
AI may continue to be the only commercial Indian airline to operate a four-engine, double-decker aircraft. Vijay Mallya Four-engine Airbus A340s were ordered for NeelkanthBut they could never be inducted into the fleet before the airline’s closure in 2012.