Air India Dreamliner 787 touches down Sydney tarmac after 16 years!

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Arrival of Air India Dreamliner 787 flight 312 at Sydney airport – Pic by James Morgan

Excitement was in the air as everyone anxiously gathered at the tarmac to witness the touch down of Air India’s Dreamliner flight 312 at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport today on August 30, 2013. Invited Media, anxious staff of Air India including the Air India manager, Ravi Bodade who worked hard for this day with Sydney airport staff all there to witness the landing of  Air India Dreamliner 787 that looked majestic on a perfect weather day.

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Sydney welcomes Air India Flight 312!

Flight 312 carried 200 passengers from India which had a VIP contingent led by chairman, Air India Mr Rohit Nandan and included Dr Syed Nasir Ali, Mr Pankaj Srivastav, Mrs Puja Jindal and Mrs Mohini Hingorani. Mr Nandan said at the inaugural address that it was sixteen years ago when Air India dropped its flight service having started in 1956. “Since the last 16 years we have been trying to revive this sector but we wanted to do it right. Having acquired Dreamliner 787 planes the first route we thought of connecting was the India-Australia route. Our connection with Australia is not only just cricket but since the days of first settlement we have been doing business with Australia which as a newly established colony in the early 1800s was sending to India coal and its horses. At the moment the traffic from India stands at 170,000 which I am sure will increase by the introduction of Air India’s flight four times a week from Sydney and three times from Melbourne. As I can see that Bollywood stars are a great attraction here we are sure that most of the Indian cricketers  are employed  by Air India and we may see more cricket matches between India and Australia.”

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Cheryl and Akshita – a reason to smile!

Sandra Chipchase, CEO, Destination NSW said at the inauguration, “NSW is delighted with Air India back in Sydney. Air India will definitely help increase tourists from India as there would be 46,000 seats of more bookings every year.  Air India flights will help bring business worth 30 million dollars more to the state of NSW. ”

Ms Chipchase said to TIDU that Sydney can’t wait to show NSW to India, its destinations which are popular already with Indians who visit family and friends  as we have major events, festivals as attractions. The honeymooners from India like places like Port Stephens, Dolphin watching, Shoalhaven while places like the Hunter Valley Wineries, the scenic Blue Mountains are also quite popular.”

Although there have been some safety scares with the Dreamliners 787 planes, Air India has seven 787 in its fleet, and will take delivery of another seven by the end of the year. The aircraft seat 18 passengers in business class and 238 in economy. The aircraft promises a better experience for passengers too. The cabin air is, unlike other aircraft, drawn directly from outside, rather than through the engines, meaning it is fresher. The air is also more humid, and pressurised at a lower level ”“ the theory being that passengers will feel better at the end of their flights. There are also larger windows and a more spacious cabin.

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