Indian Airlines is India's state owned primarily domestic airline.As India's largest domestic carrier, Indian Airlines flies over 23,000 passengers daily to 62 destinations within the country. The airline’s international network of 16 stations spans the Middle-East, South Asia and South-East Asia.Flying Returns, the airline's highly successful frequent flyer programme has a membership of over 110,000, and is the longest running frequent flyer program in India.
It was set up on June 15, 1953 after legislation came into force to nationalise the entire airline industry in India. Two new national airlines were to be formed along the same lines as happened in Britain with BOAC and BEA. Air India International took over international routes and Indian Airlines Corporation took over the domestic and regional routes.Eight former independent domestic airlines; Deccan Airways, Airways - India, Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Kalinga Air Lines, Indian National Airways, Air India, Air Services of India, were merged to form the new domestic national carrier. Indian Airlines Corporation inherited a large fleet of 74 DC-3 Dakotas, 12 Vikings, 3 DC-4s and various smaller types from the 8 airlines that made it up. Viscounts were introduced in 1957 with Fokker F-27 Friendships being delivered from 1961.