SAN FRANCISCO: Air India's first non-stop flight from New Delhi to San Francisco has landed here amid rousing welcome, becoming the first Indian airline to provide a direct air connection to the West Coast in the US.
The Air India flight AI 173, a B777-200LR aircraft, with 230 passengers on board landed here at 5:40 AM yesterday with airport traffic control tower lit in Indian tricolor to welcome the flight to the city.
The passengers applauded when the aircraft touched the ground.
A number of officials from the US and India, including Venkatesan Ashok, Consul General of India, attended a formal ribbon cutting ceremony to mark beginning of the services.
"It is a remarkable day and today is a great day for Air India" Ashok told the gathering at the airport.
The city Mayor's office declared this day as 'Air India Day', a symbolic gesture to celebrate the arrival of the first direct flight from India here.
03/12/15 PTI/The Economic Times
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The Air India flight AI 173, a B777-200LR aircraft, with 230 passengers on board landed here at 5:40 AM yesterday with airport traffic control tower lit in Indian tricolor to welcome the flight to the city.
The passengers applauded when the aircraft touched the ground.
A number of officials from the US and India, including Venkatesan Ashok, Consul General of India, attended a formal ribbon cutting ceremony to mark beginning of the services.
"It is a remarkable day and today is a great day for Air India" Ashok told the gathering at the airport.
The city Mayor's office declared this day as 'Air India Day', a symbolic gesture to celebrate the arrival of the first direct flight from India here.
03/12/15 PTI/The Economic Times
