Damania Airways
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Parvez Damania, Vispi Damania |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Mumbai , India |
Area served | Domestic India |
Key people | Parvez Damania, Vispi Damania |
| Products | Passenger air transport |
Damania Airways was an Indian carrier based in Mumbai that operated between 1993 and 1997. The airline was established by the Damania brothers, Parvez and Vispi. Parvez later became influential at Sahara India Pariwar's Air Sahara and held the position of Executive Director at Kingfisher Airlines, while Vispi took on the role of Vice President of Finance at Kingfisher.
History
Established in 1992, Damania Airways commenced its flight services on 10 March 1993, utilizing two Boeing 737 aircraft leased from TAP Air Portugal. Operating out of Bombay, its regular destinations included Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore, Goa, and Indore. The fleet was subsequently expanded by two additional planes.
This era saw fierce rivalry as India's domestic aviation market reopened to private companies after a long period of state monopoly by Indian Airlines. New entrants were categorized by the government as 'air taxis', with competitors such as Jet Airways, East-West, ModiLuft, and Continental also operating.
Parvez Damania's vision was to introduce international-quality services within domestic aviation, which quickly made Damania Airways a favorite among passengers. The airline distinguished itself through exceptional in-flight service, setting new industry standards. By the end of 1993, despite holding only a two percent market share, it transported over 200,000 travelers. In 1994, the government awarded scheduled domestic airline status to nine private carriers including Damania. Notably, it became the first domestic airline permitted to serve alcoholic beverages onboard.
Regulatory adjustments in 1995 mandated that private airlines operate certain flights on less lucrative secondary routes in order to gain access to major city routes. Furthermore, approvals for smaller aircraft necessary for these secondary routes experienced delays. These factors significantly strained financial performance, leading to the downfall of many carriers. Although Damania’s strong brand presence allowed it to endure longer than most, these challenges were difficult to overcome.
In May 1995, management control shifted to the NEPC group owned by Khemka, who also promoted Skyline NEPC airline. Skyline’s fleet of Fokker turboprop aircraft servicing smaller towns complemented Damania’s Boeing 737 jets on primary routes. To capitalize on existing brand recognition, Skyline initially preserved the Damania branding before rebranding as Skyline NEPC.
Nevertheless, both NEPC Airlines and Skyline NEPC ceased operations in 1997 after being suspended by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) due to unpaid dues and subsequent removal from the computerized reservation system (CRS).