AIR INDIA organises special screening of Airlift

A movie is something which can make or break conceptions of people as it is the most accessible medium through which people are exposed to various unfound and unheard happenings, in the best way possible. 

In order to reach out to the movie lovers and to celebrate the largest evacuation in the history of civil aviation, Air India, Kolkata, took the initiative to arrange a special screening of Airlift at the prestigious Inox auditorium at Forum Mall in Kolkata, recently. 

The employees took pride in soaking in the patriotic movie along with corporate clients, travel agents and distinguished guests. An FM contest was also initiated earlier on Air India, the winners of which were given free tickets for the movie.  

Air India had scripted one of the most heroic saga of evacuation in recent times when it airlifted Indians stranded at Kuwait and Iraq in the early nineties.

This ‘Operation Airlift’- an epic act, spanning over 59 days, rescued over 1,70,000 passengers through 88 flights operated by Air India. The same has been immortalised in the superhit movie Airlift which has received accolades from the public.

This operation also saw the use of Airbus A320 aircraft, A300 B4, 273-seater A300 B2 aircraft along with boeing aircrafts with large seating capacities to fly out passengers.

The national airlines rose to the occasion to meet the stiff challenge of evacuation from a strife-torn country. 

When the first phase of operation ended on October 12, 1990, it was a triumph for all sections of employees of the airline who spared no effort in fulfilling the task risking their life for the cause of the nation. And, this legacy of bravery continues, when Air India spread its wings to operate special flights to Djerba, in Tunisia, to evacuate more than 1,200 stranded Indians from Libya and Malta. The relief flights were operated to bring home Indian expatriates stranded in strife-torn countries. 

National carrier Air India has been spreading its wings to connect every corner and heart of India even as it has been serving as the country’s flying ambassador to the world at large. It pioneered aviation in India and its history is synonymous with the history of civil aviation in the country.  

Air India is not just an airline that transports passengers, baggage and cargo. Air India has always been identified with India from standing by the nation, during any crisis, reflecting the tradition and culture of the country, or showcasing the strength of emerging India.  Ever since its inception, it has been extending its unstinted support to encourage and uphold our traditional arts and culture besides serving as the nation’s second line of defence. 

Indeed, Air India has been inextricably woven into the tapestry of our country’s tradition – to power the nation forward in its relentless pursuit of excellence.