airways

• Airways are the quickest, costliest, most modern and comfortable means of transport, Air transport facilitates connectivity on a national, regional and international scale.
• It has made accessibility easier by connecting difficult terrains like high mountains and sandy deserts.
• It carries passengers, freight and mail.
• Air transport plays a key role in times of emergency as well as in the event of natural and man-made calamities like floods, epidemics and wars.
• Air transport in India made a beginning on 18th February, 1918 when Henry Piquet carried a mail from Allahabad to Naini.
• In 1953, eight different airlines which were in operation in the country were nationalised.

Domestic Airways fly within the boundaries of a country and International Airways connect major cities of the world.

• The Indian Air lines and Air India are the two airline services run by the government of India.
• Indian Air lines provides the domestic air services and Air India provides international air services.
• Presently, there are 19 designated international airports available in the country.

Pavan-Hans Helicopter Ltd

• Pavan-Hans Helicopter Ltd has been providing Helicopter support services to the petroleum sector, including ONGC and oil India Ltd.
• It is a public sector company based in New Delhi.
• Its operations are based at the Juhu Aerodrome in Vile Parle (West) Mumbai.
• Pavan-Hans is a Mini Ratna–I category public sector undertaking.
• It often provides services to various state governments particularly north east India and Inter Island, Ferry services in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, services to Lakshadweep Island etc.,

Airports Authority of India (AAI)

• Airports Authority of India (AAI) was constituted in 1995.
• It provides security to Indian Airports.
• AAI under the ministry of Civil Aviation is responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure in India.