Celebrating New Air India’s Arrival in New York, Cabin Crew Recreate Iconic NYC Moments

The new Air India began operating their flagship Airbus A350-900 service between Delhi and Newark on Thursday (January 2nd), following Delhi-JFK A350 service which began on November 1st.  In celebration, Air India cabin crew recreated iconic NYC moments.

Air India cabin crew recreate the iconic 1932 photograph ‘Lunch Atop a Skyscraper’ which depicted ironworkers taking their lunch break on a beam during the construction of 30 Rockefeller Plaza – Courtesy Air India

On Thursday (January 2, 2024), the new Air India announced the launch of inaugural flagship Airbus A350-900 service between Delhi and New York Newark (EWR).  This follows the start of service between Delhi and New York (JFK) which launched on November 1st, 2024.  Air India now serves all direct routes between India’s capital and the New York City region with state-of-the-art widebody Airbus A350s, featuring all-new interiors, including private Business Class suites and a Premium Economy cabin, as well as a new IFE system, elevated catering, and new service ware.   

Celebrating this important milestone, Air India’s cabin crew went on a cinematic journey across the city to recreate iconic New York City moments, and in search of landmarks features in globally popular Hollywood and Bollywood movies.  Wearing their new Manish Malhotra-designed uniforms, the cabin crew members strolled through the city, while expressing their pride and excitement for the ‘new Air India experience’ arriving in the ‘Big Apple.’

Here, the Air India cabin crew poses at Gapstow Bridge in Central Park.  This is where Kevin McCallister first encountered the ‘Pigeon Lady’ in Home Alone 2, and is also where the ‘Runway Jungle’ photo shoot took place in The Devil Wears Prada – Courtesy Air India

The Steps at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET) has been features in the popular drama series Gossip Girls, Ocean’s 8, and When Harry Met Sally.

Air India cabin crew stroll the busy sidewalks of New York’s iconic Times Square, which is featured in Vanilla Sky, the flashmob scene in Friends With Benefits, and Preity Zinta’s happy dance in the Bollywood movie Kal Ho Naa Ho – Courtesy Air India

Air India crew pose in front of a row of New York's famous yellow taxis, which have become a cinematic icon, and features across many series and films - Courtesy Air India

The Rotunda Room at The Pierre, a Taj Hotel, was featured in the iconic tango scene in Scent of a Woman – Courtesy Air India

Located under the Queensboro Bridge, Sutton Place Park was features in the 1979 Woody Allen classic, Manhattan – Courtesy Air India

Air India is a TATA Group Airlines company.  The carrier’s first international flight took to the skies on June 8, 1948, with service between Bombay (now Mumbai) and London with interim stops in Cairo and Geneva.  Currently, the carrier has six Airbus A350-900s in their fleet out of 20 on order.  Air India’s firm orders for 250 new Airbus aircraft also includes 20 A350-1000s, 140 A320neos and 70 A321neos.  The carrier’s current order book with Boing totals 250 airplanes, including 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, 10 Boeing 777X, and 190 737-8 MAX jets.

Source: Air India