Air India to operate world’s longest flight crewed only by women

Air India to operate world’s longest flight crewed only by women

India’s state airline Air India is operating what it claims to be the world’s longest flight staffed only by women from New Delhi to San Francisco to mark International Women’s Day.

A team of four pilots and 10 cabin crew were on board the Boeing 777-LR that departed Delhi early on Sunday, airline spokesman G Prasada Rao said.

The non-stop flight will cover some 12,300 kilometres in around 16 hours. It will return on International Women’s Day on March 8.

The entire flight operation – including check-in, ground handling and traffic control – was handled by women.

“We will soon file for the Guinness Record for the world’s longest all-women operated flight,” Rao said.

The airline ran newspaper ads on Sunday claiming the all-women flight was a record and that it would operate 22 flights with all-women crews on March 8.

“The flight is a symbol of women empowerment and it will encourage women to step out of their comfort zone and succeed in male-dominated arenas too,” pilot Ramya Kirti Gupta told broadcaster NDTV before take-off.

Air India launched the flight from India to the US west coast, among the longest scheduled routes in the world, in December.

Emirates launched a flight between Dubai and Auckland last week, reportedly the world’s longest non-stop flight by distance, which covers some 14,200 kilometres.

Latest News

  • Food & Beverage
  • Hotels

La Tour d’Argent reveals menu for the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

The legendary 400-year-old Parisian dining establishment, La Tour d’Argent, has unveiled an exclusive menu to be served at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Metropole’s modern French fine-dining restaurant Le Beaulieu welcomes the culinary team from La Tour d’Argent from 23 to 27 October for a unique gastronomic takeover, offering guests and local diners an extraordinary 8-course […]

  • Events

TAG partners with SXSW Sydney 2024

The award-winning travel and event management company, TAG, has announced its partnership as the preferred travel partner for the 2024 SWSX Sydney at ICC Sydney. TAG (The Appointment Group) is set to deliver a range of experiences at the event, including a panel discussion, “Trends, Technology, and the Future of Business and Leisure Travel.” Speaking […]

  • Aviation
  • News

More than 2500 flights cancelled as Florida braces for Hurricane Milton

A total of 2,632 flights have been cancelled in the US today as Florida braces for Hurricane Milton. Milton was initially feared to be a category five storm, however, it has since been downgraded to category three. The National Hurricane Centre has predicted it will be “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for […]

  • News

Globus family of brands picks Allianz as insurance partner

Globus family of brands (GFOB) has partnered with Allianz Global Assistance (AGA) as the company’s new travel insurance partner. From today, guests can purchase a range of cover from AGA on all bookings with Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways. To celebrate the partnership, GFOB is offering a 10 per cent discount on travel insurance plans […]

  • Tourism

Global tourism roars back to life with APAC leading the way

The global tourism industry is roaring back to life as international arrivals are up 16 per cent compared to 2023, a resurgence is largely fuelled by the Asia Pacific region particularly Australia, ForwardKeys reported at the World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit in Perth. While the region still lags pre-pandemic levels, the current pace […]

  • Aviation
  • Tourism

Travel in Oceania could add $166 billion to the regional economy and 1.1m jobs

A new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council reveals that Oceania’s travel and tourism sector could inject an additional US$112BN (AU$166.4) to the region’s economy by 2034, bringing the total contribution to a record-breaking US$336BN. According to the report, in collaboration with VFS Global and launched today at WTTC’s 24th Global Summit in […]

  • Conferences
  • First Nations
  • Tourism

WA leverages Indigenous heritage as a key topic at WTTC Global Summit in Perth

Western Australia has leveraged its Indigenous heritage as one of the key topics of the annual World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit being held in Perth (Boorloo). “Indigenous tourism has immense potential, empowering communities to be in control of their own stories and their own economic futures now that is regenerative tourism tomorrow,” WTTC […]

  • Aviation

Delta Air Lines opens the premium Delta One Lounge at LAX

Delta Air Lines has opened the Delta One Lounge at LAX, following the opening of the one at JFK in June 2024, bringing the premium lounge experience to the West Coast. The second Delta One Lounge, adjacent to the Delta Sky Club at terminal three and seats nearly 200 guests, is directly connected to the […]