Flight AI-176 enters the book of history with all-women crew members

Women crew creates history in an inaugural flight of Air India – The longest flight (AI-176) from San Francisco to Bengaluru with a 4 all-woman crew landed in the city on Monday. As the flight landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, all the women crew members received huge welcome and ovation from the crowd gathered in the airport. Earlier, Air India announced that this will be the longest commercial flight in the world to be operated by the airline.

"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 Sonware & 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." 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.

The success was equally rejoiced by The San Francisco Airport authorities. In a tweet they cheered, "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." The total flight time on this route will be more than 17 hours depending on the wind speed on that particular day, it had said in a statement on the eve of the historic flight.