Air India claims record with all-female round-world flight

Indian airline, Air India, has claimed it has made the first passenger journey around the world operated by an all-women crew.

The Boeing 777 flew over the Pacific Ocean on its trip to the US and returned via the Atlantic thus encircling the globe in its 15,300 km round trip.

Piloted by a quartet of female captains and an all female cabin crew, Air India claims that the ground staff, engineers and air traffic controllers were all women also.



The airline said the trip was “another feather to Air India's cap in its constant endeavour to encourage women."

“The flight is a symbol of women empowerment and it will encourage women to step out of their comfort zone and succeed in male-dominated arenas too,” said Captain Kshamata Bajpayee

“The entire message is actually to encourage young girls who have dreams of getting into the skies and they feel it’s too technical or this is something only men do.”

The flight was part of a celebration for International Women's Day which falls on March 8th. Air India has also applied to Guinness World Records to be recognised for the feat.

The story originally appeared on BBC.