Women's Day Special: Air India To Operate Longest All-Women Operated International Flight AI 173

Image Source:  Twitter/Air India

International Women’s Day calls for a grand celebration as the India’s national carrier airline, Air India, is all set to make history in the field of aviation with a bang this year. Celebrating the spirit of women empowerment, the flight AI 173 that’ll take the non-stop Delhi-San Francisco route will set a record for being the world’s longest all-women operated and supported flight. The flight that departs from New Delhi on March 6 at 0235 hrs will land in San Francisco at 0600 hrs, having covered 17 long hours.

All-women staff

This first-of-its-kind flight will serve the passengers with an all-women staff, be it cabin crew, cockpit crew, check-in staff, doctor or customer care staff. Under the command of Captain Kshamta Bajpayee and Captain Shubhangi Singh, the flight’s First Officers will be Captain Ramya Kirti Gupta and Captain Amrit Namdhari. Not just that, the ground staff – from operator to technician, engineer, flight dispatcher and trimmer – will also all be women.

Steve Maraboli has rightly quoted, “The empowered woman is powerful beyond measure and beautiful beyond description.” The women staff members on this all-women operated flight AI 173 are very excited to be a part of this historic venture. Not only because they are a part of this initiative but also because they are going to inspire other women around the world. Sky is not the limit for women who aspire to play with the stars and swing on the Moon.

What flight crew has to say

This is a dream come true for all the women who have toiled all day and night to make this move of Air India a successful accomplishment. Speaking at the felicitation ceremony, Captain Kshamta Bajpayee said, “I feel truly blessed to be a part of the Air India family. Only when you wish can you be granted that wish. Only when you dream can that dream come true.”

Captain Ramya Kirti Gupta says that the desire to achieve big keeps her going for such initiatives. ”It’s a proud moment. It’s a 17-hour flight that we are taking, covering 14,600 km with a ground speed of 1200 km per hour,” she says.

For Captain Shubhangi Singh, the flight marks a momentous day in her life. “You need to work hard. There is no shortcut to success. I come from a modest family, and without any aviation background. I am overwhelmed to be a part of an all-women crew in the history of aviation. It’s a long flight covering various countries; there are several procedures that we’d have to keep in mind,” says Singh.

Speaking about this special flight, Ashwini Lohani, CMD Air India, said, “It will be a historic flight and the longest to be operated by an all-women crew. The airline has immense respect for women and this flight would be a symbol of women empowerment.”

Once again Brigham Young’s idea of educating women seems full of worth who believes “When you educate a man, you only educate a man. When you educate a woman, you educate a generation.”

Cheers to all these ladies who are going to galvanize the whole women community and the coming future generations as well. The launch of this flight is in itself very boosting manoeuvre and a proud moment for all these women, their families and friends, husbands and kids. Kudos to Air India and all the women staff members on the flight AI 173 for a successful take-off.

-Yashna Sharma