Indian Airmails

  • Home
  • Pre-1953 Airlines
    • Indian State Air Services >
      • 1929 Karachi - Delhi via Hyderabad & Jodhpur
    • Delhi Flying Club >
      • 1931 Emergency Flight by Delhi Flying Club
      • 1932 Karachi - Delhi
    • Indian Trans-Continental Airways >
      • 1933 Karachi - Calcutta >
        • 1933 Eastwards: Karachi - Calcutta
        • 1933 Westwards: Calcutta to Karachi
      • 1933 Calcutta - Rangoon via Akyab >
        • 1933 Eastwards: Calcutta - Rangoon via Akyab
        • 1933 Westwards: Rangoon - Calcutta via Akyab
      • 1933 Karachi - Singapore Extension
      • 1934 Karachi - Australia Extension
      • 1936 Rangoon - Hong Kong
    • Indian National Airways >
      • 1933 Calcutta - Dacca
      • 1933 Rangoon - Calcutta
      • 1934 Karachi - Lahore
      • 1940 Karachi - Calcutta via Lahore
      • 1939 Karachi - Delhi
      • 1947 Calcutta - Rangoon
    • Madras Air Taxi Service
    • Experimental & Survey Flights. >
      • 1931 England - Australia Flight >
        • 1st Experimental Flight
        • 2nd Experimental Flight
      • 1938 Flying Boat Coogee
    • Dalmia-Jain Airways Ltd
    • Star Line
  • Tata Airlines
    • 1931 - Karachi - Madras: Route Survey Flight
    • 1932 - Karachi - Madras >
      • Official Southbound
      • Official Northbound
      • Other Southbound
      • Other Northbound
      • Other Material
    • 1933 - Karachi - Madras via Poona
    • 1935 Karachi - Madras via Hyderabad >
      • 1935 - Karachi - Madras via Hyderabad
      • 1935 Bombay-Hyderabad Errors on Stamp
    • 1935 - Bombay - Calcutta demonstration flight
    • 1935 - Bombay - Travancore via Goa & Cannanore
    • 1936 - Madras to Colombo via Trichinopoly
    • 1937 - First Flight to Bhuj
    • 1937 - Delhi - Bombay via Gwalior, Bhopal & Indore
    • 1938 - Karachi - Madras extension to Colombo via Trichnopoly
    • 1938 - Trichinopoly - Trivandrum extension
    • 1938 - Mansoon halt at Poona
    • 1946 - Bombay - Calcutta via Nagpur
  • Air-India
    • 1948 Air-India International Bombay - London Flight >
      • Postage Stamps - Constant Errors
      • The Postage Stamp
      • First Day Covers
      • DG's Circular & Postal Notices
      • Official Covers
      • Air-India Covers
      • Special Flight Cachet
      • Postage Rates gallery
      • Local Cancellations
      • Private Covers Gallery
      • Interesting Places of Origin & Destinations >
        • Interesting Destinations
        • Interesting Places of Origin
        • Interesting Places of Origin & Destinations
      • More interesting covers
      • Return Flight covers
      • Other Philatelic Curiosities
      • Award winning exhibit
    • 1948 - 1953 Early Route Expansion
    • 1954 - 1959 Early Route Expansion
    • 1960 - 1965 Air-India Boeing 707 Era.
    • 1966 - 1970 Air-India Boeing 707 Era.
    • 1971 - 1975 Boeing 747 & Other Aircraft Era
    • 1976 Onward Boeing 747 & Other Aircraft Era
    • Crash Mail Covers
    • Postal Meter panels
  • Indian Airlines
    • 1960 - 1964
    • 1965 - 1969
    • 1970 - 1974
    • 1975 - 1979
    • 1980 - Onward
    • Crash Mail Covers
    • Meter Panel & Stationery
  • Foreign Airlines
    • B.O.A.C. >
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Colombo August 1952
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Singapore October 1952
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Tokyo April 1953
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Sydney March 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Tokyo July 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Colombo August-September 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Tokyo April 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Singapore June 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Sydney November 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Manila November 1961
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Auckland April 1963
      • B.O.A.C. Boeing 707 London to Nandi November 1965
      • B.O.A.C. VC 10 40th Anniversary of Regular Airmail
  • Others
    • Zeppelin & Catapult >
      • LZ-10 Schwaben
      • LZ-13 Hansa
      • LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin
      • LZ-129 Hindenberg
      • LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin II
      • Catapult Mail
      • Ephemera
    • Rocket Mail >
      • Indian Rocket Mail
      • Sikkim Rocket Mail
    • Pigeon Mail
    • Balloon Mail
    • Airship R 101
    • Indian Air Force
    • Not in Collection (NIC) >
      • World War 1
      • World War 2
      • Slogan Cancellation
      • FDC
      • FDC (as Fake)
      • Zeppelin & Catapult
  • Resources
  • Useful Links
  • Contact us
  • Home
  • Pre-1953 Airlines
    • Indian State Air Services >
      • 1929 Karachi - Delhi via Hyderabad & Jodhpur
    • Delhi Flying Club >
      • 1931 Emergency Flight by Delhi Flying Club
      • 1932 Karachi - Delhi
    • Indian Trans-Continental Airways >
      • 1933 Karachi - Calcutta >
        • 1933 Eastwards: Karachi - Calcutta
        • 1933 Westwards: Calcutta to Karachi
      • 1933 Calcutta - Rangoon via Akyab >
        • 1933 Eastwards: Calcutta - Rangoon via Akyab
        • 1933 Westwards: Rangoon - Calcutta via Akyab
      • 1933 Karachi - Singapore Extension
      • 1934 Karachi - Australia Extension
      • 1936 Rangoon - Hong Kong
    • Indian National Airways >
      • 1933 Calcutta - Dacca
      • 1933 Rangoon - Calcutta
      • 1934 Karachi - Lahore
      • 1940 Karachi - Calcutta via Lahore
      • 1939 Karachi - Delhi
      • 1947 Calcutta - Rangoon
    • Madras Air Taxi Service
    • Experimental & Survey Flights. >
      • 1931 England - Australia Flight >
        • 1st Experimental Flight
        • 2nd Experimental Flight
      • 1938 Flying Boat Coogee
    • Dalmia-Jain Airways Ltd
    • Star Line
  • Tata Airlines
    • 1931 - Karachi - Madras: Route Survey Flight
    • 1932 - Karachi - Madras >
      • Official Southbound
      • Official Northbound
      • Other Southbound
      • Other Northbound
      • Other Material
    • 1933 - Karachi - Madras via Poona
    • 1935 Karachi - Madras via Hyderabad >
      • 1935 - Karachi - Madras via Hyderabad
      • 1935 Bombay-Hyderabad Errors on Stamp
    • 1935 - Bombay - Calcutta demonstration flight
    • 1935 - Bombay - Travancore via Goa & Cannanore
    • 1936 - Madras to Colombo via Trichinopoly
    • 1937 - First Flight to Bhuj
    • 1937 - Delhi - Bombay via Gwalior, Bhopal & Indore
    • 1938 - Karachi - Madras extension to Colombo via Trichnopoly
    • 1938 - Trichinopoly - Trivandrum extension
    • 1938 - Mansoon halt at Poona
    • 1946 - Bombay - Calcutta via Nagpur
  • Air-India
    • 1948 Air-India International Bombay - London Flight >
      • Postage Stamps - Constant Errors
      • The Postage Stamp
      • First Day Covers
      • DG's Circular & Postal Notices
      • Official Covers
      • Air-India Covers
      • Special Flight Cachet
      • Postage Rates gallery
      • Local Cancellations
      • Private Covers Gallery
      • Interesting Places of Origin & Destinations >
        • Interesting Destinations
        • Interesting Places of Origin
        • Interesting Places of Origin & Destinations
      • More interesting covers
      • Return Flight covers
      • Other Philatelic Curiosities
      • Award winning exhibit
    • 1948 - 1953 Early Route Expansion
    • 1954 - 1959 Early Route Expansion
    • 1960 - 1965 Air-India Boeing 707 Era.
    • 1966 - 1970 Air-India Boeing 707 Era.
    • 1971 - 1975 Boeing 747 & Other Aircraft Era
    • 1976 Onward Boeing 747 & Other Aircraft Era
    • Crash Mail Covers
    • Postal Meter panels
  • Indian Airlines
    • 1960 - 1964
    • 1965 - 1969
    • 1970 - 1974
    • 1975 - 1979
    • 1980 - Onward
    • Crash Mail Covers
    • Meter Panel & Stationery
  • Foreign Airlines
    • B.O.A.C. >
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Colombo August 1952
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Singapore October 1952
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 1 Jetliner Service London to Tokyo April 1953
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Sydney March 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Tokyo July 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Britannia Turbo-Prop Airliner London to Colombo August-September 1957
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Tokyo April 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Singapore June 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Sydney November 1959
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Manila November 1961
      • B.O.A.C. Comet 4 Jetliner Service London to Auckland April 1963
      • B.O.A.C. Boeing 707 London to Nandi November 1965
      • B.O.A.C. VC 10 40th Anniversary of Regular Airmail
  • Others
    • Zeppelin & Catapult >
      • LZ-10 Schwaben
      • LZ-13 Hansa
      • LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin
      • LZ-129 Hindenberg
      • LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin II
      • Catapult Mail
      • Ephemera
    • Rocket Mail >
      • Indian Rocket Mail
      • Sikkim Rocket Mail
    • Pigeon Mail
    • Balloon Mail
    • Airship R 101
    • Indian Air Force
    • Not in Collection (NIC) >
      • World War 1
      • World War 2
      • Slogan Cancellation
      • FDC
      • FDC (as Fake)
      • Zeppelin & Catapult
  • Resources
  • Useful Links
  • Contact us
On 4th October, 1960 Air-India Began weekly services from Bombay to Kuwait via Karachi and Bahrain.
The first flight was by Super Constellation Rani of Ind VT-DGM under the command of Capt Screwvala.  The return service left Kuwait on 5 October 1960.
Picture
Timetable dated October 1960 showing the route map of Air-India began its first flight on Bombay to Kuwait via Karachi and Bahrain on 4 October 1960.
Picture
Timetable dated October 1960 showing the Flight schedule time on Gulf Services which inaugurated on 4 october 1960.
Picture
AI Timetable dated October 1960.
Picture
AI Passenger Single, Return and Excess Baggage fare charges on Gulf Services
Picture
Air-India Booking and Sales offices

AI Aircraft
Air-India International began its Gulf services on 4th october 1960 by Super Constellation L-1049 Rani of Ind VT-DGM under the command of Capt Screwvala.
Picture
Air-India's second Lockheed Super Constellation L-1049 (VT-DGM) Rani of Ind.
Acquired on 30 July 1954
Photograph taken at Bombay Airport shows the graceful Super Constellation with the crew that brought her to India on the maiden voyage. There is a fair amount of discussion on the internet as to whether Air-India actually named an airplane Rani of Ind, but I guess this picture puts the matter at rest
Picture
Air-India International Super Constellation L-1049 VT-DGM Rani of Ind
Picture
Air-India International Super Constellation L-1049 VT-DGM Rani of Ind
Picture
VT-DGM (c/n 4548) Rani of Ind seen in the mid-1950s. Looks like this picture was taken at Hong Kong's Kai Tak airport.


First Flight on Bombay - Kuwait route.
Bombay to Bahrein stage.
Lockheed Superconstellation L-1049. 4 October 1960
Picture
Picture
The weekly Bombay - Kuwait service was introduced via Karachi and Bahrein.
Souvenir Air-India cover with purple Air-India commemoration handstamp, and Bombay G.P.O. cancellation stamp.
Manama, Bahrein delivery stamp dated 4 Oct 60 on the reverse.
Picture
The weekly Bombay - Kuwait service was introduced via Karachi and Bahrein.
Souvenir Air-India cover with purple Air-India commemoration handstamp, and Bombay G.P.O. cancellation stamp.
Kuwait delivery stamp dated 5 Oct 60 on the reverse.
The cover bears the autograph of Mr. R. K. Screwwala
(Image Courtesy - Mr. Harsh Gupta, The Rudraksha Collection)
Picture
Picture
The weekly Bombay - Kuwait service was introduced via Karachi and Bahrein.
Souvenir Air-India cover with purple Air-India commemoration handstamp, and Bombay G.P.O. cancellation stamp.
​Kuwait delivery stamp dated 5 Oct 1960 on the reverse.

First Boeing 707 Flight on Bombay - Bahrain route.
2 May 1962

Picture
Bahrain was introduced as a schedule halt on the India - U.S.A. service on a once a week basis.
​The cover bears the autograph of Capt. A M Kapur.
(Image Courtesy: Mr. Harsh Gupta, The Rudraksha Collection)
Picture
Picture
Air-India Boeing 707 Inaugural Flight Bombay - Bahrain 1962.
Picture
Picture
Bahrain was introduced as a scheduled halt on the India - U.S.A. service on a once a week basis.

First Boeing 707 Flight on Bahrain - Bombay route
4 May 1962

Picture
Bahrain was introduced as a schedule halt on the India - U.S.A. service on a once a week basis. The cover was flown on the return flight.
The cover bears the autograph of Capt. D J Bilmoria.
​(Image Courtesy: Mr. Harsh Gupta, The Rudraksha Collection)
Picture
Picture
The aircraft used on the return flight was the Boeing 707-460 Everest Vt-DJK under the command of Captain D J Bilmoria. It left Bahrain at 2030 GMT (4.5.62) and arrived in Bombay at 23:40 GMT (4.5.62).
Cover signed by the pilot.
Picture
Picture
Bahrain was introduced as a schedule halt on the India - U.S.A. service on a once a week basis. The cover was flown on the return flight.
​
Important Copyright Notice: The information and images contained in this web-site cannot be copied or used for any purpose without permission. Copyright of some items listed here belong to other respective owners, and some belong to us, while some are from the public domain. Hence, in order to avoid future complications, please contact us for any such requirement, by clicking this link, and we will respond appropriately. Any violation of this policy, may lead to prosecution of a Civil or Criminal nature, or both, solely at the infringers risk and cost.

We watermark images on our website. The intention is not to assert our copyright on all such images, but merely to discourage anyone from unauthorized copying and reproducing images from this website. The copyright to some of these images belongs to us, while others to their respective owners, while others are from the public domain.​
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 © COPYRIGHT 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.