East-West Airlines (India) - History

History

East West Airlines began operations in early 1992, when the Indian Government opened up the industry to its "open skies policy" that gave rise to numerous private 'air taxi operators' that serviced India. The airline operated its offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Trivandrum. It started, as per government stipulations, with three aircraft, all Boeing 737-200s. During the Indian Airlines strike In 1992, to counter the impact of a crippling Indian Airlines pilot strike, the then-Civil Aviation minister, Madhavrao Scindia aked the airline to bring in more aircraft. East West went on to acquire four more planes taking their count to seven Boeing 737s. The Indian Government granted scheduled domestic airline status to nine private air-taxi operators including East West in 1994.

On November 13, 1995 The company's managing director Thakiyudeen Wahid was shot dead near his Mumbai office. The airline owed 3.3 million dollars to PLM Equipment - the company from which they had leased three Boeings. The American company first appealed to the DGCA to deregister the aircraft and then went to court. The Delhi high court ordered East West to pay up or return the planes. The three planes were then grounded. In May 1996 the airline sought and was given DGCA permission to stop flying trunk routes due to a shortage of aircraft. By June 1996 they decided to fly only from Bombay to non-trunk destinations like Calicut, Trivandrum, Cochin. Finally, on August 8, 1996, East West Airlines ceased all operations.