a large jetliner sitting on top of an airport tarmac

Air India was one of the early adopters of the 747. The carrier’s tryst with the 747 began when it acquired its first jumbo in 1971. Air India had already been operating an all-jet fleet by then, but this new addition further consolidated its position as a luxury carrier. Several 747-200s were added to the carrier’s fleet over the next two decades, followed by the 747-300 in the 80s. The 1990s saw the introduction of the 747-400 version of the plane with the stretched upper deck, which served the airline until a few years ago.