MyronMullet1862 at 06:28, 16 April 2026

2026-04-16T06:28:54Z

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{{Short description|Defunct airline based in Hyderabad, India}}
{{Distinguish|Air Deccan}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Deccan Airways
| image = AirTicket Deccan Airways 1952 1.JPG
| image_size = 300px
| IATA =
| ICAO =
| callsign =
| type =
| founded = {{Start date|df=yes|1945|09}}<ref>{{cite web|title=A tome on the aviation history of the Deccan|url=https://www.thehindu.com/2001/05/26/stories/0426403g.htm|work= [[The Hindu]]|access-date= 15 February 2019 |date= 26 May 2001}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
| commenced = July 1946
| ceased = 1953
| bases =
| hubs = [[Begumpet Airport]]
| secondary_hubs =
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer =
| lounge =
| alliance =
| subsidiaries =
| fleet_size =
| destinations =
| parent =
| company_slogan =
| headquarters = [[Hyderabad]]
| key_people =
| website =
}}

'''Deccan Airways Limited''' was a commercial airline based at [[Begumpet Airport]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Civil Aviation News|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1946/1946%20-%200075.html| publisher= [[FlightGlobal]]|access-date= 15 February 2019 |date= 10 January 1946}}</ref> in the former [[Hyderabad State]] in India. It was owned by the [[Nizam of Hyderabad]] and [[Tata Airlines]].<ref>{{cite web|title=A Story of Flight |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/a-story-of-flight/494593/0| publisher= [[The Indian Express]]|access-date= 15 February 2019 |date= 27 July 2009}}</ref>

==History==
Founded in 1945, Deccan was one of the nine airlines that existed in India during independence. The airline was a [[joint venture]] of [[Nizam of Hyderabad|Nizam Government]] of the Hyderabad State and Tata Airlines. 71% of Deccan Airways was owned by the Nizam's Government and the rest by Tata Sons and others. Commercial operations were launched with a fleet of three aircraft in July 1946, operating a biweekly service between [[Chennai International Airport|Madras]] and [[Safdarjung Airport|Delhi]] via [[Begumpet Airport|Hyderabad]], [[Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport|Nagpur]], [[Raja Bhoj Airport|Bhopal]], and [[Gwalior Airport|Gwalior]]. It also flew a biweekly Hyderabad-[[HAL Airport|Bangalore]] flight.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 August 1946 |title=Brevities |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1946/1946%20-%201496.html |access-date=15 February 2019 |publisher=[[FlightGlobal]]}}</ref> By March 1947, the airline had seven aircraft in its fleet and was operating the Madras-Delhi flight daily as well as a daily Hyderabad-[[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport|Bombay]] flight.<ref>{{cite web |date=13 March 1947 |title=Civil Aviation News |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1947/1947%20-%200356.html |access-date=15 February 2019 |publisher=[[FlightGlobal]]}}</ref> Between July 1946 and May 1947, the airline had carried more than eleven thousand passengers, 51 tonnes of freight, and almost seven tonnes of mail.<ref>{{cite web |date=7 August 1947 |title=Brevities |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1947/1947%20-%201316.html |access-date=15 February 2019 |publisher=[[FlightGlobal]]}}</ref>
[[File:The seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, alongwith some close aides ready to take his first test ride in a Dakota from Begumpet airport .jpg|thumb|300px|right|The seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, along with some aides takes his first ride in a Deccan Airways Dakota from Begumpet airport]]

==Post-Annexation==
After the September 1948 [[Operation Polo]], a [[military operation]] through which India annexed Hyderabad State, the airline was owned by the [[Government of India]]. By 1952, the Government of India held 78% of the shares of Deccan Airways. The shares were acquired from the Hyderabad Government & [[Nizam's State Railways|Nizam State Railways]]. 13% of the shares was still held by [[Tatas]] & 9% by the general public.<ref>{{cite web|title=Economic Weekly|url=http://www.epw.in/system/files/pdf/1952_4/13/deccan_airways.pdf|publisher= The Economic Weekly|access-date= 13 September 2014|date=29 March 1952}}</ref>

==Nationalisation==
In 1953, Deccan Airways Limited, along with seven other airlines under the ''Air Corporations Act,'' were merged to form a single domestic carrier, [[Indian Airlines]]. On 10 October 1953, Deccan Airways resigned its associate membership of [[IATA]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hyderabad, The City Of Wings As Well |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/Hyderabad-The-City-Of-Wings-As-Well/2014/03/15/article2110181.ece1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905021844/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/Hyderabad-The-City-Of-Wings-As-Well/2014/03/15/article2110181.ece1|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 September 2014|publisher=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=15 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=100 Years of Civil Aviation in India - Milestones|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/efeatures.aspx?relid=69345|publisher=Press Information Bureau, Government of India|date=25 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=A tome on the aviation history of the Deccan|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2001/05/26/stories/0426403g.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140823051234/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2001/05/26/stories/0426403g.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 August 2014|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=25 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Commercial Aviation in India: A Multifaceted Story|url=http://www.indiastrategic.in/topstories3267_Commercial_Aviation_India_Multifaceted_Story.htm|publisher=India Strategic|date=March 2014|access-date=23 August 2014|archive-date=26 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626013308/http://indiastrategic.in/topstories3267_Commercial_Aviation_India_Multifaceted_Story.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=PM Reddy: An aviator and engineer par excellence|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/PM-Reddy-An-aviator-and-engineer-par-excellence/articleshow/34607401.cms|publisher=[[Times of India]]|date=4 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= IATA Bulletin, Volume 15-22|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N_Y9AQAAIAAJ&q=deccan+airways+limited+begumpet |publisher= International Air Transport Association|access-date=10 Sep 2009|year= 1952}}</ref>

==Fleet==
When Deccan was merged with [[Indian Airlines]] in 1953, it had a fleet of thirteen Douglas [[DC-3]] 'Dakota' aircraft. The DC-3 aircraft were brought from [[US Air Force]] at a throw away price after they were left unused in Assam after World War II.

== Accidents and incidents ==

*5 April 1950: A Deccan Airways C-47A (registration VT-CJD) crashed at [[Hatiara]] while attempting to return to [[Dum Dum Airport]] after an engine failed, killing all three crew;<ref>{{ASN accident|title=VT-CJD|id=19500405-0|access-date=25 August 2014}}</ref>
*21 November 1951: A Deccan Airways C-47A (registration VT-AUO) crashed near [[Dum Dum Airport]] while attempting to land in extremely poor visibility conditions, killing all four crew and 12 of 13 passengers.<ref>{{ASN accident|title=VT-AUO|id=19511121-0|access-date=25 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DgRFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z7cMAAAAIBAJ&dq=calcutta%20plane&pg=5915%2C5319129 |title=16 Killed in Air Crash Near Calcutta |newspaper=[[The Indian Express]] |location=[[Uttar Pradesh]], India |page=1 |date=November 22, 1951 |accessdate=July 20, 2025 |via=[[Google News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-16-die-in-plane-cras/177119574/ |title=16 Die in Plane Crash |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |page=8 |date=November 22, 1951 |accessdate=July 20, 2025 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
*19 February 1952: A Deccan Airways C-47A (registration VT-AXE) crashed on landing at [[Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport|Sonegaon Airport]] due to pilot error and possible misread altimeter, killing three of 16 on board.<ref>{{ASN accident|title=VT-AXE|id=19520219-0|access-date=18 May 2013}}</ref>
*30 April 1952: A Deccan Airways C-47A (registration VT-AUN) crashed at [[Safdarjung Airport]], Delhi, due to engine failure, killing four crew and five passengers.<ref>{{ASN accident|title=VT-AUN|id=19520430-0|access-date=25 August 2014}}</ref>

{{commons}}

==See also ==
*[[:Category:Establishments in Hyderabad State]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Airlines of India |state=collapsed}}

{{Commercial aviation}}
{{Portal bar|Aviation}}

[[Category:Airlines established in 1945]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 1953]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of India]]
[[Category:Companies nationalised by the Government of India]]
[[Category:Hyderabad State]]
[[Category:Indian Airlines]]
[[Category:Air India]]
[[Category:Establishments in Hyderabad State]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1945]]
[[Category:1953 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Tata Group]]

Deccan Airways - Revision history

MyronMullet1862 at 06:28, 16 April 2026