Bengaluru, India (CU)_ Making history, Air India’s longest non-stop commercial flight with all-women team from San Francisco to Bengaluru successfully landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Monday. After the flight (AI-176) landed in the city, all-women team members walked to the airport lounge. A large crowd was waiting there to cheer them. They greeted them with joy and excitement for scripting the history of an all-women crew traveling the longest distance over the North Pole.
Air India had earlier stated that this would be the world’s longest commercial flight to be flown in India by the its company or any other airline. With a time zone shift of about 13.5 hours, the direct distance between the two cities at opposite ends of the globe is 13,993 km. At around 8.30 pm (local time) on Saturday, Flight AI176 departed from San Francisco in the USA and landed at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Monday at around 3.45 am (local time). The day before the historic flight, it was mentioned in a statement that the total flight time for this route will be more than 17 hours, depending on the day’s wind speed.
The four women, Captain Zoya Aggarwal, Captain Papagari Thanmai, Captain Akansha Sonaware, and Captain Shivani Manhas, who made historic record showed their response by giving the thumbs up sign in the midst of cheers and clapping. Wearing a black uniform and the cap of Air India, the women were greeted with cheers by the members of the Air India team at the airport. They welcomed the proud ladies with the banners that read, “A warm welcome to our guests on the inaugural flight of AI 176, January 11, 2021 — San Francisco to Bengaluru.”
Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, took to Twitter to congratulate the women crew. He tweeted, “In a moment to cherish & celebrate, women professionals of Indian civil aviation create history. Heartiest Congratulations to Capt Zoya Aggarwal, Capt Papagari Thanmai, Capt Akansha Sonaware & Capt Shivani for flying over North Pole to land in Bengaluru from San Francisco.”
Air India also wished the crew members in Twitter. It wrote: “Welcome Home Capt Zoya Agarwal, Capt Papagari Thanmei, Capt Akanksha & Capt Shivani after completing a landmark journey with touchdown @BLRAirport. Kudos for making Air India proud. We also congratulate passengers of AI176 for being part of this historic moment.”
A surprise congratulatory tweet arrived from San Francisco Airport authorities. They tweeted, “Congratulations @airindiain on a historic flight! Flight AI176 was piloted by an all-female cockpit crew for the landmark journey from #SFO over the North Pole to @BLRAirport.”
Starting from January 15, Air India is also preparing to launch its first ever non-stop service between Hyderabad and Chicago.
