The Hindu Business Line : Air India celebrates first Boeing aircraft arrival

THE US AMBASSADOR, Mr David Mulford, flanked by the Air India CMD, Mr V. Thulasidas, and the Boeing Senior Vice-President, Mr Dinesh Keskar (right), before boarding the first Boeing jetliner for Air India Express, in the Capital on Wednesday. — Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , Dec. 6

The technical area at Delhi airport, which is normally used for formal occasions such as welcoming visiting heads of states or Governments, was on Wednesday reverberating with the sound of drums and bhangra dancers wearing colourful clothes.

The occasion was the welcome ceremony for the arrival of the first of the 68 aircraft that Air India is purchasing from the US-based aircraft manufacturer, Boeing.

The red carpet was laid out, the shamiana was in place, and the engines of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft that had flown all the way from Seattle was running. At the appointed time, the silver grey Honda car of the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, drove up and walked up the steps of the aircraft with the US Ambassador, Mr David Mulford; the Air India Chairman, Mr V. Thulasidas, and other senior officials, stopping only to wave for the hordes of photographers on hand to capture the moment for posterity.

Inside the aircraft the staff made announcements that would have been heard on a regular flight operated by the airline.

"The aircraft is fitted with 22 overhead monitors on which full length films in Hindi and other regional languages would be screened. Besides, the monitors would also display the route that is being taken by the aircraft," the airhostess announced over the public address system.

And just as on a routine flight you are served fruit juices before take-off, an airhostess was walking down the aisle taking care of the needs of the VVIPs on board.

Rare occasion

"This is a rare occasion. Generally what happens is that the aircraft arrives after the Minister under whose tenure they have been ordered demits office. I am fortunate that the new aircraft have started arriving during my tenure itself," said the Minister.

Similarly in a lighter vein, the US Ambassador while referring to the aircraft as a bridge between the two nations, added that this was likely to lead to more work for the visa section of the US embassy as more people would apply for visas.

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