CleanupBot II at 21:30, 13 August 2023

2023-08-13T21:30:43Z

New page

{{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| September 1945}}<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 erstwhile [[Hyderabad State]]. 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, it was one of the nine airlines existing in India during independence. The airline was a [[joint venture]] of [[Nizam of Hyderabad|Nizam Government]] of erstwhile Hyderabad State and Tata Airlines. 71 per cent of Deccan Airways was owned by the Nizam's Government and the rest was owned by Tata Sons and others. Commercial operations were launched with a fleet of three aircraft in July 1946, operating a twice weekly service between [[Chennai International Airport|Madras]] and [[Safdarjung Airport|Delhi]], with halts at [[Begumpet Airport| Hyderabad]], [[Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport|Nagpur]], [[Raja Bhoj Airport|Bhopal]] and [[Gwalior Airport|Gwalior]]. It also flew a twice weekly Hyderabad-[[HAL Airport|Bangalore]] flight.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brevities|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1946/1946%20-%201496.html| publisher= [[FlightGlobal]]|access-date= 15 February 2019 |date= 1 August 1946}}</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|title=Civil Aviation News|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1947/1947%20-%200356.html| publisher= [[FlightGlobal]]|access-date= 15 February 2019 |date= 13 March 1947}}</ref> Between July 1946, and May 1947, the airline had carried more than Eleven thousand passengers, apart from 51 tonnes of freight, and almost seven tonnes of mail.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brevities|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1947/1947%20-%201316.html| publisher= [[FlightGlobal]]|access-date= 15 February 2019 |date= 7 August 1947}}</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 [[Operation Polo]] for annexing Hyderabad State, the airline ownership changed to Government of India. By 1952 Government of India held 78% of 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>

==Nationalization==
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]]. After this 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|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}}</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==
By the time it 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 at Assam after World War 2.

== 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|accessdate=25 August 2014}}</ref>
;21 November 1951: A Deccan Airways C-47A (registration VT-AUO) crashed at [[Dum Dum Airport]], while attempting to attempt to land was made in extremely poor visibility conditions, killing all four crew and thirteen passengers;<ref>{{ASN accident|title=VT-AUO|id=19511121-0|accessdate=25 August 2014}}</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|accessdate=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|accessdate=25 August 2014}}</ref>

{{commons}}

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

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Airlines of India |state=collapsed}}

{{Commercial 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]]

Deccan Airways Limited - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 21:30, 13 August 2023