Bombay (now Mumbai), 1939 (Retrospective): A new era in Indian civil aviation began with the opening of the first air-ticket booking office in 1939, located in the Churchgate Reclamation area of Bombay (now Mumbai, Maharashtra).

This modest yet groundbreaking establishment marked the birth of commercial air travel services in India, offering passengers the unprecedented ability to book flights through a formal, physical office. At the time, air travel was a privilege of the few, but the office laid the foundation for a growing network of air connectivity in the pre-independence era.

The building that once bustled with early aviators and hopeful travelers is now home to the Asiatic Department Store, but its legacy as a landmark in India’s aviation history continues to be remembered.

This milestone reflects the beginnings of a journey that would one day connect India to the world through the skies.