In a quiet, almost forgotten corner of Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, an ageing Boeing 737 belonging to Air India had been left to decay.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-200 in cargo configuration, had been grounded for more than a decade and was essentially forgotten about.
After the privatisation of Air India three years ago, with the airline now owned by Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, the new management was only recently informed that this abandoned aircraft was still part of their assets. The discovery prompted Air India to trace the plane’s history and confirm ownership. Since then, the aircraft has been sold.
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Decommissioned back in 2012, the aircraft had previously been flying under Air India for the India Post. The aircraft was eventually retired from these services and was stored in a remote parking bay at Kolkata Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU). The aircraft's presence was only recently flagged, a surprise to the airline, which led to it tracing its ownership.
About Boeing 737-200
According to data from ch-aviation, the Boeing 737-200 (serial number 22863) took its first test flight back on August 30, 1981. It was subsequently delivered to Indian Airlines on September 8, 1982, where it was registered under VT-EHH.
The aircraft flew for the state-owned carrier, Indian Airlines, which was eventually merged into Air India. The aircraft was then shifted under Alliance Air (formerly Air India Regional), where it provided regional flights from February 2, 1998, through to July 4, 2007.
