Founded in 1945, Deccan was one of the nine airlines that existed in India during independence. The airline was a joint venture of 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 Madras and Delhi via Hyderabad, Nagpur, Bhopal, and Gwalior. It also flew a biweekly Hyderabad-Bangalore flight.[4] 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-Bombay flight.[5] 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.[6]
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 State Railways. 13% of the shares was still held by Tatas & 9% by the general public.[7]
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. On 10 October 1953, Deccan Airways resigned its associate membership of IATA.[8][9][10][11][12][13]
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;[14]
21 November 1951
A Deccan Airways C-47A (registration VT-AUO) crashed at Dum Dum Airport while attempting to land was made in extremely poor visibility conditions, killing all four crew and thirteen passengers.[15]
19 February 1952
A Deccan Airways C-47A (registration VT-AXE) crashed on landing at Sonegaon Airport due to pilot error and possible misread altimeter, killing three of 16 on board.[16]
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.[17]
