Air India is flying an all-female crew flight today from San Francisco to Bengaluru.
Air India today is operating its inaugural flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru and to mark the occasion, Air India will operate an all-female crew flight. The flight will be operated by four pilots (working in rotations due to the length of the flight).
The flight is Air India’s longest, spanning over 16,000km and will take 17 hours flying over the North Pole.
“Most people in the world will not see the North Pole or even its map in their lifetime. I feel truly feel privileged and humbled by the trust posed in me by the civil aviation ministry and our flag carrier. It is a golden opportunity to command a Boeing 777 inaugural SFO-BLR, one of the world’s longest flight over the North Pole.”
said Captain Zoya Agarwal, Air India, in a statement to India.com
Hardeep Singh Puri, Aviation Minister of India, tweeted:
Air India’s woman power flies high around the world.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (मोदी का परिवार) (@HardeepSPuri) January 9, 2021
All women cockpit crew consisting of Capt Zoya Aggarwal, Capt Papagari Thanmai, Capt Akansha Sonaware & Capt Shivani Manhas will operate the historic inaugural flight between Bengaluru & San Francisco.
@airindiain @MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/HKT6IYo2Dw
The flight has took-off
Way to go girls!
— Hardeep Singh Puri (मोदी का परिवार) (@HardeepSPuri) January 10, 2021
Professional, qualified & confident, the all women cockpit crew takes off from San Francisco to Bengaluru on @airindiain's flight to fly over North Pole.
Our Nari Shakti achieves a historic first. pic.twitter.com/X46cs73dQu
Air India tweeted:
#FlyAI : Initial captures before we embarked on the historic flight AI 176 @flySFO to @BLRAirport . pic.twitter.com/6WGCLtLt22
— Air India (@airindia) January 10, 2021
The Boeing B777-200 LR( Long Range) registered as VT-ALG took off from San Francisco International Airport in California at 8:58 local time. At the time of writing, the aircraft is currently cruising over Vancouver, Canada at 30,000 feet.
#FlyAI : AI 176 gets airborne from @flySFO, climbing to an initial altitude of 30000 ft under the command of
— Air India (@airindia) January 10, 2021
Capt Zoya Agarwal.
Thus begins a historic 15154 km and more than 17 hrs voyage over the North Pole, connecting San Francisco to @BLRAirport . pic.twitter.com/5HjoXMIF7C
The aircraft will then fly over the North Pole before entering the Indian airspace.
History in the making
Today’s flight marks three big achievements;
- All women-cockpit crew
- Longest flight into India
- Crossing the North Pole
#FlyAI : Imagine this :
— Air India (@airindia) January 10, 2021
-All Women Cockpit Crew.
-Longest flight into India.
-Crossing the North Pole
It’s here & happening!
Records broken.
History in the making by AI176 from @flySFO to @BLRAirport.
AI 176 is cruising at 30000 feet pic.twitter.com/kZ66hqiatq
Busy route
United will launch its own Bangalore-San Francisco service later this summer using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. In the winter, American will launch its own Seattle-Bangalore route, adding the third Bangalore-US route in under a year.
According to Bangalore Mirror, Air India’s inaugural flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru is completely booked out, with all 238 seats sold to passengers. This includes eight in first class, 35 business in class seats, and 195 in economy.
You can track today’s inaugural flight here.
What do you think of Air India’s all female-cockpit crew flight? Let us know in the comments section below.