This flight was a celebrity magnet. You’d see Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan in economy—because he didn’t care. Or tech CEOs like Sundar Pichai, hunched over a laptop, working on the next Google update. One flight attendant said she once served Sir Richard Branson a cup of chai. He asked for sugar. She said, “Sorry, we only have jaggery.” He loved it.
The End of an Era?
Sadly, Air India stopped the direct JFK-to-Bom route in 2017 (after selling it to a new owner). Now, you fly via London, Dubai, or Doha. It’s efficient. But it’s not the same. No more 16-hour bonded chaos. No more saris and curry at sunrise.
But the stories live on. Next time you board a long-haul flight, think of those early Air India passengers. They were pioneers. They gambled with jet fuel and time zones. And they got a certificate for it. That’s pretty cool.
So, what’s your JFK-to-Bom story? Did you see a monkey? Did you survive the curry? Tell a friend. Because this route was way more fun than it had any right to be.
