Air India's first international flight video of 1948





On 8 June 1948..

A Lockheed Constellation L-749A named Malabar Princess of Air India International took off from Bombay bound for London Heathrow via Cairo and Geneva.

This marked the airline's first long-haul international flight.

The aircraft was registered as - VT-CQP.

 Check out the guest list, JRD Tata included, in the video which is courtesy of Air India.

Just found it very, very cool. From 749 to 787. Quite a journey. 

What do you say?




Comments

  1. the govt has killed the great Air India

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous21 June, 2013

      Air India killed itself. Travelled once on Air India. Never again due to the poor treatment it gave to my family and me.The staff treated us Indians as second class while bowing to the whites in the UK. It had nothing to do with caste or money. I am not a Hindu and we travelled business class. It was just the obvious and unashamed reverse discrimination. This was in 1997. My friends confirmed this on numerous occasions afterwards. I sincerely hoped it had changed but each time I was tempted to travel by Air India, my friends confirmed that nothing had changed and it was actually worse. I also have a friend who worked for Air India for two years but resigned because of the managements attitude towards their own nationals. The govt may have played their part but the attitude of the management towards the Indian traveller was probably the biggest factor. People ask, If Indians are not travelling with Air India, then why should we?

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  2. That dashing young man Capt.K. R Gazder is my dad! What a wonderful suprise and a total thrill to see this historic clip.Many many thanks.

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    Replies
    1. Mine too!

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    2. and me!

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    3. I know for a fact that Capt. Gazder has two sons...officially...Cyrus & Rusty...whos the third Sibling?

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    4. Officially, Dad had 4 kids, Cyrus and Rusty with first wife, Ruby Gazder (nee Metha). After that he had a son and daughter, Jean-Pierre and Lana,with second wife Jacqueine Gazder(nee Bhownagary).Record now straight!

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    5. I knew Jean Pierre (,John ) from about 1981 to March 84
      Never knew about this flight though .Nice man

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  3. Was this filmed using a potato?

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  4. Those were the days ! The sharks now have no scruples !

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  5. This corrupt government has completely destroyed one of the most prestigious organisations built by dedicated visionaries and continues to use taxpayers money to cover up what has been pocketed.

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  6. The Airline should be handed over back to Tatas they will again make it Pride of India, politicians have made a mockery of such a beautiful creation of JRD

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  7. The Nehru-Gandhi family has not been good for India. They have ruined the country. The airline, once the best in the world, is not a third rate carrier of the labor class going to the gulf countries.

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  8. A few years ago the government asked Tatas to investigate takeover of Air India; he refused!!!

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  9. I watched the original news documentary on the big screen. Had three first-day covers of the special commemorative stamp that had flown on the first flight.
    The hostesses were very smart, good looking, and from well connected families; they had faced stiff competition to obtain the position. these girls were very much saught after as they were

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  10. Had the honor of flying with KRG as cabin crew in the 60s and going along with him for great dinners at great restaurants in New York.
    Also knew both his sons and stayed with them at their house in Nagpur for almost a year.
    What a great gentleman he was.
    P.U.

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    ReplyDelete
  12. is air india provides us cheap flights to India
    from Australia.

    ReplyDelete
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  14. natiper_da Donald Robinson
    Awesome
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    ReplyDelete

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