Historic non-stop flight from San Francisco lands in Bengaluru with all-women cockpit crew

The landmark flight spanned a distance of 13,993 kms, linking two tech hubs located diametrically at opposite ends of the world with a time zone change of about 13.5 hours. Credit: DH Photo

Creating aviation history of sorts, an all-women cockpit crew piloted the first non-stop San Francisco-Bengaluru flight, landing the Air India plane with 238 passengers at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here early on Monday.

The 17-hour journey in the skies, the longest non-stop route to an Indian city, ended in jubilation as the Air India flight (AI 176) touched down at 3.07 am. The flight had taken off from San Francisco at 8.30 pm, local time.

Flying over the North Pole, this is also, arguably, the second-longest route in the world for a commercial flight. The landmark flight spanned a distance of 13,993 kms, linking two tech hubs located diametrically at opposite ends of the world with a time zone change of about 13.5 hours.

Commanded by Capt Zoya Aggarwal, the Boeing 777-200LR aircraft also had in the cockpit Capt Papagiri Thanmai, Capt Akansha Sonaware and Capt Shivani Manhas. Captain Zoya has a flying experience of over 8,000 hours and has over 10 years of experience commanding a B-777 aircraft.

A huge posse of mediapersons gathered at the Bengaluru Airport as the four pilots emerged out of the arrival terminal, welcomed with a huge round of applause. The beaming foursome showed no signs of any jetlag as they proudly proclaimed their arrival with a thumbs up.

“It has been a great experience. Today, we successfully completed one of the longest flights as an all-women team, a dream realised to connect the world’s two Silicon Valleys. We have turned a new chapter in aviation history,” remarked Capt Zoya.

For passengers too, the epoch-making trip was a game-changer.

“This direct, nonstop flight has been a long-pending demand. The flight was smooth, and looked surreal when we crossed the North Pole at 34,000 ft. We also spotted the Northern lights, aurora borealis. That we were piloted by an all-women crew is a matter of great pride,” one of the fliers said.

Wheelchair-bound Govinda Naidu was so impressed with the direct flight that he declared he would henceforth take only this flight. “The flight was absolutely seamless and trouble-free,” he said. Another passenger, Ramana credited the four pilots for a hassle-free flight. “They handled the take-off and landing really well.”

Based on the wind speed and other logistical parameters, Air India had opted for the polar route as the flight path. This, the pilots acknowledged, resulted in savings on flying time, fuel consumption and curbing carbon footprint.

Operating on Saturdays and Tuesdays, the aircraft can accommodate eight First Class, 35 Business Class and 195 Economy Class fliers besides four cockpit and 12 cabin crew. The first flight from Bengaluru to San Francisco is scheduled to take off on Monday afternoon.