On International Women’s Day, the country’s transport system has taken a major initiative to mark the occasion in their own special way by operating all-women staff.

The country’s airlines are operating all-women crew flights and promising complimentary upgrades to women passengers.

Taking the lead is the national carrier Air India which is operating 12 international flights and over 40 domestic flights with an all-women crew.

“I would like to congratulate our women crew deciding to operate so many flights on various international and domestic routes fuelled by their indomitable women power,” Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani said Thursday.

The international flights that will have all-women AI crew include those from New Delhi to Sydney, Rome, London, Paris, Shanghai, Newark, Washington, Chicago, and San Francisco, and from Mumbai to London, Newark and New York.

Following the footsteps of its parent, Alliance Air, the regional arm of Air India, is taking to the skies in one of its aircraft with an all-women crew.

Private carrier Jet Airways is expecting to operate four domestic flights— Mumbai-New Delhi-Mumbai and Mumbai- Bengaluru-Mumbai— with an all-women crew.

The airline has also planned to surprise select women guests onboard these flights by presenting them with gift hampers, where each goody bag will contain gifts from top-notch brands.

No-frills carrier Spicejet is operating 22 flights with an all-women crew to mark the day.

GoAir said all women travellers will be eligible for a complimentary upgrade to its business class across its network depending on “availability as well as on first-come-first-serve basis”.

Air traffic control at Swami Vivekananda Airport in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur is being monitored by women air traffic controllers – Aditi Arora and Sanjula Jaiswal – today.

Indian Railways led from the front by showcasing capabilities and potential of what women can achieve when given equal opportunities. Indian Railways showed its commitment by promoting its equal-opportunity employer and inclusive work culture.

In a unique endeavour to ensure women’s empowerment, Bhopal-Bilaspur Express left from Bhopal railway station earlier on Friday morning with an all-women staff onboard the train, including the Ticket Checker, Loco Pilot and GRP constable.

(With PTI inputs)