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5 things you need to know about Pan Am hero Neerja Bhanot..!

Airbus has confirmed that it will work with France, Germany, and Spain to build the Future Combat Air System (FCAS).
1. Pan Am Flight 73 landed in Karachi

On the morning of September 5, 1986, Pan Am Flight 73 landed in Karachi. It had arrived from Mumbai and, had nothing gone wrong, would have departed for Frankfurt and onward to New York City. The flight was carrying, among members of other nationalities, Indians, Germans, Americans, and Pakistanis. Unfortunately, the flight was hijacked while it was parked on the tarmac at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.

2.”The heroine of the hijack”

According to a citation released by the airline after her death, Ms. Bhanot’s “gallant actions were nothing less than heroic” as she along with nearly 400 other passengers and crew members were held hostage for over 16 hours. Twenty passengers, including two Americans were killed during the hijacking. She gave her own life while shielding 3 children from a hail of bullets. Neerja was recognised internationally as “the heroine of the hijack” and is the youngest recipient of the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest civilian award for. The attackers were later arrested by Pakistani security forces.

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She was the “captain”, who believed that she had to be the last person to quit – alive or dead.

According to Mrs. Malti Krishnaswamy and other eyewitnesses, Neerja was caught by the leader of the terrorists and shot point blank. In the dead body I saw bullets had hit her in the abdomen, on the shoulder near the neck and in the arm. When she opened the emergency exit, she could have herself been the first to slide down the chute. But she was the “captain”, who believed that she had to be the last person to quit – alive or dead.

https://twitter.com/sonamakapoor/status/594930797909561344/photo/1

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3. She applied for a flight attendant’s job with Pam Am. There were nearly 10,000 applications but Neerja Harish easily found place among the top 80. 

Before the marriage, it was made clear that it would be a dowry less marriage. But when she reached the “ordained home” she was told that even a “very poor man gives something to his daughter in marriage”. She came back to Bombay to honour a modelling contract. An ugly letter followed, listing terms for her return, which no person with self-respect could accept. The letter listed a straight formula: accept the humiliating terms without a whimper and return at your own cost or “we will separate”. The worst was that the letter asked her as to what was she? “You are just a graduate”. The young girl could not pocket this. She applied for a flight attendant’s job with Pam Am. There were nearly 10,000 applications but Neerja Harish easily found place among the top 80. Some of her close friends in Pan Am knew of her marriage mishap. They say that Neerja had been clearly stating that if one day something happened to her, please see that even “his” shadow did not fall on her dead body. The girl with sinews of steel accepted the challenge “what are you” and has told “what she was”.

sonam kapoor

4. She was also a hardworking model.

According to the piece, Neerja, who was only 25 hours shy of her 23rd birthday when she was killed by the hijackers, was a “vivacious” and “valiant” girl who also dabbled in modelling. Her father describes her as being “highly duty-conscious”. Just three days before her death, she had returned from Frankfurt late at night. Yet, she spent the next two ‘off’ days shooting from morning to night, catching only a few hours of sleep before her ill-fated flight. Her mother even asked her to “excuse herself” from the flight, but Neerja refused to do so.

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Rare still of Neerja Bhanot’s commercial

5.Known as ‘Lado’ at home, her family doted upon her.

Born in Chandigarh on September 7, 1962, Neerja was the first daughter born to her parents, who were already raising two sons at the time: Akhil and Aneesh. Her father wrote, “The maternity ward matron rang up to inform me that we had been blessed with a baby-girl. I was very happy to hear this and gave her a ‘double thanks’. She thought I had got her wrong and so she repeated “It is a daughter”. I explained to her the daughter had already 2 brothers and that is why it was an occasion for ‘double thanks’.” He added that Neerja, who attended Sacred Heart School in Chandigarh during her childhood, was almost never referred to by any other name at home than ‘Lado’.

‘Neerja’ – A Glorious Tribute to the Braveheart

The Movie based on Pan Am Flight 73 Hijacked

Neerja is a 2016 Hindi biographical thriller drama film written by Saiwyn Quadras, and directed by Ram Madhvani starring Sonam Kapoor in titular role of “Head Purser” Neerja Bhanot, while Shabana Azmi and Shekhar Ravjiani played supporting roles. The film was produced by Atul Kasbekar under the banner of Fox Star Studios. The film revolves around the Libya backed Abu Nidal Organization’s hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan on 5 September 1986, specifically focusing on flight attendantNeerja Bhanot who ensured the failure of the hijacking by preventing the plane from getting off the ground, she also saved the lives of 359 hostages in those long hours of incarceration.

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Source : Wikipedia , Neerjabhanot.org.

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He is an aviation journalist and the founder of Jetline Marvel. Dawal gained a comprehensive understanding of the commercial aviation industry.  He has worked in a range of roles for more than 9 years in the aviation and aerospace industry. He has written more than 1700 articles in the aerospace industry. When he was 19 years old, he received a national award for his general innovations and holds the patent. He completed two postgraduate degrees simultaneously, one in Aerospace and the other in Management. Additionally, he authored nearly six textbooks on aviation and aerospace tailored for students in various educational institutions. jetlinem4(at)gmail.com

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From Dulles to Trump: Washington Airport Renaming Sparks Attention

From Dulles to Trump: Washington Airport Renaming Sparks Attention

House Republicans have recently introduced a bill in Congress that seeks to rename Washington Dulles International Airport, situated in Sterling, Virginia, near the nation’s capital, to “Donald J. Trump International Airport.”

The proposed renaming aims to honor former President Donald J. Trump, with supporters of the bill citing his leadership as a pinnacle of national greatness. They envision the new name as a symbol of freedom, prosperity, and strength, echoing sentiments shared by millions of domestic and international travelers who would pass through the airport.

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Currently, Washington Dulles International Airport is named after the late Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, a dedication that dates back to 1984. Before that, it was dedicated by President John F. Kennedy in 1962.

Despite the introduction of the bill, its prospects for passage appear dim due to the Democrat-controlled Senate and the narrow Republican majority in the House of Representatives. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, along with six cosponsors, acknowledges the uphill battle, recognizing the challenges posed by the political landscape.

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Notably, this proposal wouldn’t mark the first time an airport in the D.C. area has been named after a Republican president, with the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport already established in Arlington, Virginia.

While some Republicans champion the renaming initiative, there is considerable opposition, particularly among Democrats. Democratic Rep. Representing part of northern Virginia encompassing Dulles, strongly opposes the idea, pointing to legal issues surrounding Trump and suggesting alternative honors.

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The bill, if passed, would mandate that all official references to the airport in laws, regulations, documents, and records be changed to Donald J. Trump International Airport. However, with the current political climate, the chances of the bill progressing through Congress and becoming law remain slim.

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IndiGo Eyes Widebody Jets, Ramping Up Air India Competition

Malaysia Airlines And IndiGo Sign MoU To Boost Tourism

IndiGo, Asia’s largest budget carrier, is edging closer to a significant strategic move as it explores the purchase of widebody aircraft, according to Bloomberg.

This potential decision not only signifies the airline’s ambition to expand its international reach but also sets the stage for heightened competition with established players like Air India Ltd.

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While IndiGo is still in the process of evaluating various options, insiders suggest that an order for approximately 30 Airbus SE A350s is emerging as the frontrunner. However, these sources, preferring anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information, stress that the airline has yet to make a final announcement. They caution that factors such as timing and the final number of planes could still influence IndiGo’s decision.

indigo airlines booking contemplation of acquiring widebody jets is not a spontaneous move. The airline has long pondered the idea of venturing into long-haul services to cater to the increasing demand from affluent Indian travelers seeking destinations like the UK and Europe.

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IndiGo’s already substantial relationship with Airbus, underscored by a monumental order for 500 A320neo family aircraft last year, further underscores its position as a major player in the aviation industry. With a backlog of around 1,000 aircraft, indigo manage booking
stands poised to make a strategic leap forward in its operational scope.

Recently, Under the terms of its extended codeshare arrangement with Qantas Airways, the national airline of Australia, IndiGo, the preferred carrier of India, has announced the addition of 11 new routes, effective March 31, 2024.

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Customers of indigo flight can now travel across popular tourist destinations with ticket sales beginning on March 12, 2024. indigo flight booking Australia’s major cities, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne.

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Gateway to UAE: Visa-On-Arrival Now Access for 87 Countries

Gateway to UAE: Visa-On-Arrival Now Access for 87 Countries

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates has announced an amendment to its visa exemption policy, which is a significant step towards improving tourism and making travel easier.

Now, residents of 87 nations will be able to visit the United Arab Emirates without having to worry about securing a pre-entry visa.

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The visa process has been made more open and accessible, even though nationals of 110 countries still need one to enter the UAE. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official website makes it simple for interested parties to see the list of exempt countries and visa requirements.

For citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the entry process is even smoother, as no visa or sponsorship is required. Simply presenting a GCC state passport or identity card upon arrival at UAE ports of entry is sufficient for entry.

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Notably, visas on arrival are available to Indian individuals with passports, US visit visas or green cards, and UK or EU residency permits good for at least six months. Travellers from these areas will have flexibility because they can stay for an additional 14 days after their initial 14-day stay.

The list of countries now eligible for visa-on-arrival privileges encompasses a diverse array of nations, including Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany.

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Hungary, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Bahamas, The Netherlands, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, US, Vatican, Hellenic, Bosnia, and Kosovo.

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