Air India's all-woman flight a grand success!
MUMBAI: Flight AI-141 that took off from Mumbai airport early Monday, flying over 11 countries on its way to New York, almost made history — all women pilots, despatchers, check-in staff and pre-flight doctors. In fact, all that came between it and the record books was a Supreme Court ruling making it mandatory for flight on which alcohol is served to have male pursers on board.
But for two flight pursers, the 15-hour non-stop flight between Mumbai and New York would have made history with an all-woman crew. The record proved elusive as the cabin crew comprised 12 women and two men. Still, the women were all gung-ho as they walked into the airport terminal to operate the flight, celebrating International Women's Day in their own way.
Hours before the two commanders — Capt Rashmi Miranda and Capt Sunita Narula — and two first officers — Swati Rawal and Neha Kulkarni — boarded the Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft, flight despatcher Nandita Deshpade sat down to work out the flight plan for the route. "This time of the year, aircrafts encounter headwinds while flying West," said Capt Miranda. For Deshpande, who did the flight planning, the six-hour job meant calculating the minimum fuel route keeping in mind weather conditions and other factors like navigation aids enroute, overflying permits etc.
The time to cover 13,000 km between Mumbai and New York worked out to 15 hours 56 minutes with 30 knots headwinds burning fuel at the rate of 7,600 kg/hr. "The flight plan for the all-woman cockpit crew took the aircraft on altitudes ranging from 37,000-39,000 feet over Pakistan, Iran, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, UK, Norway, Iceland and then four hours over the Atlantic ocean to reach Canada and then the US," said Deshpande.
Air India has 96 women pilots on its rolls, while Indian has 40, making the total the largest in the country. Women pilots in airlines in India constitute about 12% of the total workforce, way higher than the global average of 6%.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Air-Indias-all-woman-flight-a-r...
rabbit, what so special in ur link?? u've been pasting the same link on all ur comments..lol
http://qatarvibes.webs.com/
Cheers to the author for giving me some solid ideas
escort in sydney
so you are back with the pink kia?
So how can it be all female, if there were two male crew members ?
when women can fly fighter aircrafts....its no big deal for them to fly passengers..
btw, since when AI has started hiring such pretty airhostesses...or i was just unlucky..
Therez no question of being educated or illiterate..I m not doubting neone's abilities..Even i have handled the most important bone of any JOB - FINANCIAL department all alone and i was not a failure in that..But since this is related to my hidden fear, i have to tell this that i can never board any of such flight..My wishes will always be with them but i can't see myself there..
Now peace...
and Soniya, which reality are you talking about?
"It is better to be hated for what you are than being loved for what you are not."
Plane phobia and fear of heights is fine but fear for all women flight is nothing but lack of confidence in women's abilities. If you being educated woman have such an opinion, we can't really blame illiterate ones......
"It is better to be hated for what you are than being loved for what you are not."
lol mandi..
No, i've never been to ALL WOMAN flight..And this i m telling it with assurance coz of the announcements made by pilots and co-pilots everytime whenever i have travelled..lolzzz
drmana, sometimes v have to face the reality..therez nothing bad in it..right?? its just my point of view..i can't board ALL WOMEN flight..and telling u very frankly, i have PLANE PHOBIA..i m very scared of heights and to travel by planes..
soniya, I am really surprised by your comment. You being a women yourself doubt other women's abilities. That's sad.....
"It is better to be hated for what you are than being loved for what you are not."
Soniya, how would you know it was an all-woman flight? Perhpas you've been on one before and never knew!
Mandi
I won't dare to board all WOMEN flight..lol
I am not against of women liberation but it really gives me a goosebumps when i think a flight will be managed by all WOMEN..lol
lol, now I understand why Air-India is running at such a loss :P
Were is tat old man wearing tat turban in the head and doing namaste ? is he being replaced with this cute crews ? :)
sexy crews :P
Wait a minute! "In fact, all that came between it and the record books was a Supreme Court ruling making it mandatory for flight on which alcohol is served to have male pursers on board." So it wasn't an all-female crew because of government regulation and thus the headline is VERY misleading. BTW, the first all-female crew is the US was in 1983. Oh, well, you go girls, anyway. (And you don't think guys gossip in the cockpit? lol)
Mandi
WK,i guess they are a bit biased on the sector they fly in.my friends travelling to the US love the flights.
===================================
How glorious it is - and also how painful - to be an exception. - Alfred de Musset
WELL DONE AND CONGRATS KEEP THEM FLYING MABUHAY
I won't fly Air India even unless someone is holding a gun to my head.. They charge so much and treat us like the conductor treats passengers in Punjab Roadways buses.
"Live with passion, Die with style"
_______________________________________________
A lot of lovemaking can unblock a stuffy nose! Dr. Choc
ah!i see some envious men on this thread :-P LOL,it's okay boys....it's about time WE became independent.
===================================
How glorious it is - and also how painful - to be an exception. - Alfred de Musset
wow..Hats off to them....women power!!
Yes, WK....taking too much time on their make up, you know blush on, lip liners, eye shades & maskaara blah blah blah ;)
----------------------------------------------------------------Give me some SunShine......Give me some Rain
Give me another Chance...I wanna grow up once Again
that's only for girls on the ground...these are girls in the sky.life's different for them :-)
===================================
How glorious it is - and also how painful - to be an exception. - Alfred de Musset
Well...em no taking any credit of these ladies. But Gossips are something really tempting for women....em I wrong?
----------------------------------------------------------------Give me some SunShine......Give me some Rain
Give me another Chance...I wanna grow up once Again
Now I know why Air India is always delayed, so many female pilots :P
"Live with passion, Die with style"
we do know the meaning of the word 'responsibility',khattak jee :-)
===================================
How glorious it is - and also how painful - to be an exception. - Alfred de Musset
Its dangerous... what if they start their favorite time pass of gossiping over Atlantic? ;)
----------------------------------------------------------------Give me some SunShine......Give me some Rain
Give me another Chance...I wanna grow up once Again
way to go,Team Air-India!looking forward to more airlines to follow suit :-)
===================================
How glorious it is - and also how painful - to be an exception. - Alfred de Musset