Bengaluru: Air India’s longest flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru with an all-women crew landed in the city on Monday, January 11, thereby scripting history for being an all-women crew flying the longest distance over the North Pole.
Flight AI176 departed from San Francisco in the USA at around 8.30 pm (local time) on Saturday and landed at the Kempegowda International Airport at around 3.45 am (local time) on Monday.
Air India had said earlier that this will be the longest commercial flight in the world to be operated by airline in India.
The direct distance between the two cities at opposite ends of the world is 13,993 km with a time zone change of around 13.5 hours.
The four women-Captain Zoya Aggarwal, Captain Papagari Thanmai, Captain Akansha Sonaware and Captain Shivani Manhas were received at the Kempegowda International Airport by a large crowd that clapped and cheered for them. The crew showed a thumbs up sign.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri 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 too greeted the crew members by tweeting: “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.”
The San Francisco Airport authorities 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.”
