An Air India pilot had waited his entire flying career for one particular passenger to board a flight he was operating: his mother. For Delhi-based pilot Tanish Arora, that finally happened when he got the chance to fly her for the first time.
Arora documented the day in an Instagram video, from getting ready in his pilot uniform to travelling to the airport with his mother. What followed was a simple but emotional glimpse at a milestone that clearly meant a great deal to both of them.
Air India pilot flies his mother for the first time
The video begins with Arora getting dressed for duty before explaining why this wasn't going to be just another day at work. "Today's flight is really special to me. Today is the first time since I started my flying career that I get to fly my mother in a flight that I'm operating," he said.
The mother-son duo then travelled together in a cab to the airport. Along the way, Arora asked his mother how she was feeling about being on a flight piloted by her son. Her answer was short and sweet: she was excited.
The video also captured the two spending time together at the airport and walking through the terminal towards the boarding gate. Eventually, it was time for Arora to leave his mother behind and head off to prepare for the flight before she boarded as a passenger.
Before heading towards the aircraft, however, he had one last question for her. Arora asked if she wanted to say anything to him before he flew the plane.
"Fly well and safely," she told him.
For Arora, the significance of the journey went well beyond having a family member on board. He reflected on how his mother had once held his hand and taught him to walk as a child. Years later, he was getting the opportunity to take her into the skies himself.
Sharing the video on Instagram, the pilot wrote that the woman who had taught him to take his first steps had now become his "favourite passenger forever" after he got to fly her across the skies.
Watch the video here:
Emotional moment wins hearts online
The video struck a chord with viewers, with many celebrating the mother-son bond and the milestone Arora had been able to share with her.
Several users said having members of your own family aboard a flight you are operating is among the most special experiences for someone working in aviation. Others simply described the moment as a dream come true.
The video also resonated with parents. Some shared their hopes of experiencing a similar moment with their own children someday, while one user said they hoped their daughter would one day fly them as a passenger.
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