Air India is India`s first to fly over North Pole |
Air India, India`s national carrier, hoisted its Boeing 777 aircraft over the North pole on Thursday as it marked a new chapter in India`s aviation history. Though used regularly by other countries, this flight of Air India from New Delhi to San Francisco in North America was the maiden flight by any Indian carrier over the north pole. Air India, which according to sources, will be privatised soon by the government, inaugurated the route on India`s Independence Day. Its Delhi-San Francisco flight, which usually overflies the Atlantic or the Pacific ocean, cut across latitudes instead on Thursday to fly over zero degree north. Delhi-San Francisco flight AI-173 took off at 4am, with about 243 passengers on board, flew over Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and the North Pole by 12.27pm to cross over to the other side of planet Earth. According to Air India, the fuel saving on the Polar route is expected to be in the region of 02 to 07 tonnes with a resultant decrease in carbon emission of 06 to 21 tonnes per flight, and is part of the initiative of the Fuel Conservation Committee of the airline.
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