An all-women pilot crew from Air India is all set to make history by flying over the North Pole and take the longest flight from San Francisco (SFO), all the way to Bengaluru on January 9.
“Flying through the North Pole is very challenging and airline companies send their best and experienced pilots on this route. This time Air India has given responsibilities to a woman captain for the journey from San Fransisco to Bengaluru via polar route,” an Air India official said.
AI Captain Zoya Agarwal, who will be commanding the flight, and her team is very eagerly waiting to create history. She will become the first woman commander of Air India to command flight 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,” Captain Zoya Agarwal told ANI.
The team comprises of Captains Thanmai Papagari, Akanksha Sonawane and Shivani Manhas. Though Air India pilots have flown over polar route earlier also, it is for the first time a team women pilots will fly over the North Pole.