AI's all-women cockpit crew takes off on historic San Francisco-Bengaluru flight

An all-women cockpit crew setout on a history journey, operating Air Indias inaugural SanFrancisco-Bengaluru flight, going over the North Pole andtaking the Atlantic route to reach the Karnataka capital atthe other end of the world.The flight number AI176 left San Francisco on Saturdayat 8.30 PM local time and would arrive here at 3.45 AM onMonday, according to Air India sources.Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puritweeted, Way to go girls

An all-women cockpit crew set out on a history journey, operating Air India's inaugural SanFrancisco-Bengaluru flight, going over the North Pole and taking the Atlantic route to reach the Karnataka capital at the other end of the world.

The flight number AI176 left San Francisco on Saturday at 8.30 PM (local time) and would arrive here at 3.45 AM on Monday, according to Air India sources.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puritweeted, ''Way to go girls! Professional, qualified &confident, the all women cockpit crew takes off from SanFrancisco to Bengaluru on @airindiain's flight to fly over theNorth Pole. Our Nari Shakti achieves a historic first.'' Air India has said this will be the longest commercial flight in the world to be operated by it or any other airline in India.

The total flight time on this route will be more than17 hours depending on the wind speed on that particular day,it had said in a statement on the eve of the historic flight.

Members of the crew are Captain Zoya Aggarwal, Captain Papagari Thanmai, Captain Akansha Sonaware and CaptainShivani Manhas.

Air India too expressed its elation when it tweeted,'' Imagine this: -All Women Cockpit Crew. -Longest flight into India. -Crossing the North Pole It's here & happening! Records broken. History in the making by AI176 from @flySFO to@BLRAirport. AI 176 is cruising at 30000 feet.''