Indore: First scheduled commercial international flight of AI takes off from Indore

Indore: The city touched an ultimate milestone in its 82 years old aviation history on Monday when the first scheduled commercial International flight after taking-off from Devi Ahilybai Holkar International Airport landed in Dubai. After the commencing the scheduled commercial domestic flights operations in 1948, the first international flight gives the global wings to the state.

After taking off from the city airport at Airbus A-320 Neo aircraft at 4.40 pm on Monday after 3-hours of flying the AI-903 Indore-Dubai landed at Dubai airport at 7.40 pm as per the Indian time. The flight landed in Dubai one hour before the scheduled time.The august moment become more Indorian when it was announced that captains of the maiden flight from Indore to Dubai will be piloted by Captain Sunil Bhargava and Captain Sarabajeet Johar, both hailing from the city.

The 150 passengers, including 12 business class and 138 Economy class of the first international flight were looking quite jubilant on becoming the part of the first international flight rolling out from the city. Among the passengers were not only from Indore, but from Ujjain, Ratlam and Dhamnod (District Dhar) and a Norwegian couple.

Before entering into the terminal building the passengers were welcomed in classical Kerala tradition on beats of drum and dance, proceeding towards emigration were welcomed by offering the safaron colour ‘Pagadi’ and a ‘Angavastram’ (stole) to the all the Dubai going passengers.

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Among the prominent passengers going to Dubai were Air India CMD Ashwini Lohani himself. Earlier, MP Shankar Lalwani, Airport Director Aryama Sanyal, Meenakshi Mallick, Director Commercial Air India and CEO of Air India Engineering Services Limited Jagannathan a gave farewell to the first flight to Dubai by flagging-off at apron.

In the first inauguration ceremony held in the terminal building former LS speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Mayor Malini Gaud, MP Shankar Lalwani, Commissioner Akash Tripathi, ADG Varun Kapoor,Airport Director Aryama Sanyal, TK Jose, Chairman of MP-CG Chapter of Travel Agents Association of India and a large number of industrialists.

- Our Special Correspondent