From operating flights with all-women crew to distributing roses and cookies to allowing female cabin crew the option of not wearing make-up, airlines have announced a slew of initiatives to celebrate “nari shakti” on International Women’s Day.

Air India is set to fly 12 all-women crew flights on its medium- and long-haul international routes and over 40 domestic short-haul flights to celebrate the day (March 8), an airline statement said.

“Every individual and the society must respect women. It is a moment of absolute pride and honour for Air Indians that our women employees are leaving their mark in the aviation sector on a global scale. I would like to congratulate our women crew for operating so many flights on various international and domestic routes fuelled by their indomitable nari shakti,” Air India’s chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani said.

On Friday, Air India will be deploying its B787 Dreamliners and B777s on 12 international routes: Delhi-Sydney, Mumbai-London, Delhi-Rome, Delhi-London, Mumbai-Delhi-Shanghai, Delhi-Paris, Mumbai-Newark, Mumbai-New York, Delhi-New York, Delhi-Washington, Delhi–Chicago and Delhi-San Francisco.

“Women pilots and cabin crew will be operating Airbus family aircraft as well as Dreamliners to over 40 domestic destinations and back to commemorate the occasion,” an Air India spokesperson said.

Alliance Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India, will also operate an all-women crew flight from Delhi to Dharamshala and back. All women fliers will receive gifts and goodies.

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet will operate 22 flights with all-women crew. Women flying alone will be offered priority check-in and boarding, plus a rose. All women fliers will be offered a complementary hot beverage and cookies. International carrier Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will relax compulsory dress codes, such as wearing make-up and skirts, for female cabin crew. Domestic carrier, Vistara, will serve special dishes and provide sanitary napkins.

First Published: Mar 08, 2019 07:26 IST