Brands
Air India Express gives wings to first-time flyers from Jamshedpur
JAMSHEDPUR: For 150 children from Jamshedpur, Christmas came with seatbelts, safety briefings and a view from above the clouds.
Air India Express, partnering with Tata Steel Foundation, organised a first-ever flying experience for students from Masti Ki Pathshala, turning a festive season promise into a 45-minute joy flight from Ranchi. For most of the children, it was their maiden encounter with an aircraft and the world it opened up.
The day began before sunrise, with buses ferrying students and teachers from Jamshedpur to Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi. Before take-off, the children met pilots and cabin crew, peppering them with questions and curiosity, and catching an early glimpse of careers they had only imagined.
The flight itself was carefully choreographed to delight and reassure, complete with an in-flight meal and a smooth introduction to the rituals of air travel. Tata Steel Foundation supported the initiative with venue and food arrangements at ITI Tamar, ensuring the experience extended well beyond the runway.
Aloke Singh, managing director of Air India Express, said the collaboration was about more than flying. It was about opening minds. Moments like these, he said, show that aviation connects aspirations as much as destinations.
Sourav Roy, ceo of Tata Steel Foundation, called the joy flight a spark for imagination and confidence, adding that the initiative marked the start of deeper engagement with Air India Express to create opportunities for communities.
The flight may have lasted less than an hour, but for the children on board, it stretched horizons far wider. Sometimes, inspiration does not arrive with textbooks or speeches. Sometimes, it arrives at cruising altitude.
