On the International Women’s Day, people of Bareilly got a unique gift when an all-women crew of Alliance Air, led by Captain Poonam Yadav, touched down its maiden flight at the newly built Bareilly Airport on Monday.
The Union Minister and MP from Bareilly Santosh Gangwar boarded the ATR-72 from Delhi at 9 am. When the 72-seater plane landed at the Bareilly Airport, it was given a water canon salute for the new air service. The State Civil Aviation Minister Nand Gopal Nandi accorded a warm welcome to the Union minister and the all women crew members.
The foundation of the Bareilly Airport was laid by the then Chief Minister Mayawati about 24 years ago. The Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath got the construction completed and the Airport was finally inaugurated by the Union minister on Monday for flight operations. Bareilly airport is the eighth Airport in Uttar Pradesh which was made operational on Monday.
“Since the inaugural day coincided with the International Women’s Day, it was decided that all women crew will fly the inaugural flight from Delhi to Bareilly,” stated the State Civil Aviation Minister Nand Gopal Nandi. All women were posted as flight engineers, ground staff and even as security personnel at the new Airport.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union minister Santosh Gangwar said that air connectivity will bring in business opportunities for the people of Bareilly. The district is famous for its Jhumka (Ear-rings), Surma and Zardoji.
The Airport Director Rajeev Kulsheshtra said that the Bareilly-Delhi-Bareilly flight will operate four days a week. “We are planning to launch flights for Mumbai in April. Flights for Bengalaru and Lucknow will be made operable from May,” said the Airport Director.
