To commemorate Air India’s debut in Newark (EWR) and New York (JFK), the airline’s cabin staff visited well-known filming locations and reenacted legendary New York City scenes.
Today, India’s foremost international airline, Air India, started flying nonstop between Delhi and Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark using its flagship A350-900 aircraft. This comes after the November 1, 2024, launch of Air India’s A350 service on the Delhi-New York (JFK) route.
This means that Air India’s A350 aircraft, which features brand-new interiors like private suites in Business Class and a Premium Economy cabin, an award-winning new Inflight Entertainment (IFE) system, improved catering, and new serviceware, are now used on all nonstop flights between the capital of India and the New York region.
In honor of the launch, the cabin crew of Air India embarked on a cinematic adventure to reenact famous New York City scenes and look for some of the city’s sites that have appeared in internationally acclaimed Bollywood and Hollywood productions. Here is how they walked around the busy metropolis in their brand-new uniforms, created by Manish Malhotra, displaying their enthusiasm and excitement for the “new Air India experience” that was coming to New York.
THE CLASSIC “LUNCH ATOP A SKYSCRAPER” IMAGINATION
Members of the Air India cabin crew reenacted the famous “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” image from 1932, one of the most important images ever taken. The image captured ironworkers during the building of 30 Rockefeller Plaza enjoying a relaxed lunch break on a tall skyscraper beam. The crew of Air India paused to take a picture of the breathtaking image of Rockefeller Plaza, which embodies the spirit of invention and adventure.
BRIDGE GAPSTOW, CENTRAL PARK
Filmmakers of all ages have chosen the charming Gapstow Bridge in Central Park because of its tranquil beauty and abundant foliage. Both the “Runway Jungle” photo session in The Devil Wears Prada and Kevin McCallister’s first meeting with the pigeon woman in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York occur here.
AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART (MET) STEPS
The MET, where many TV series and movies have been filmed, has a distinctive architectural feature: the grand staircase leading up to the museum’s entrance. The popular drama series Gossip Girls and a large portion of the well-liked heist film Ocean’s 8 frequently used the MET stairs as a background. Additionally, the humorous “pecan pie” scene from When Harry Met Sally, where Harry and Sally are in a museum and discuss “too much pepper on paprikash,” was shot here.
TIMES SQUARE
Because Times Square is a prominent tourist destination that has been portrayed in many Bollywood and Hollywood films, the Air India team took a stroll down the crowded walkways beneath the dazzling neon lights of the city. Whether it is the flashmob scene in Friends with Benefits, the subliminal imagery in Tom Cruise’s Vanilla Sky that depicts him running through Times Square by himself, or Preity Zinta’s joyful dance in the Bollywood film Kal Ho Naa Ho, Times Square is a sight to behold both in real life and on screen.
YORK’S NEW TAXIS
Innumerable films that are set in New York have included the city’s famous yellow taxis.
They frequently represent the bustle of city life, function as active characters in stories, and do more than just provide transportation. The New York cabs are a cinematic symbol, whether they are featured prominently or in a brief appearance.
THE PIERRE’S ROTUNDA ROOM, A TAJ HOTEL
The Pierre served as the ideal setting for the passionate dance in the famous sequence from Scent of a Woman when Frank (Al Pacino) and Donna (Gabrielle Anwar) danced, making it one of the movie’s most remembered scenes. To commemorate the classic movie, the Air India crew visited the magnificent Rotunda Room at The Pierre hotel in Manhattan.
PARK SUTTON (BELOW THE QUEENSBORO BRIDGE)
The members of the cabin crew were also influenced by the 1979 Woody Allen masterpiece Manhattan, which is renowned for being a magnificent celebration of New York. The Air India team located the precise location and reenacted the moving moment where Mary Wilkie (Diane Keaton) and Isaac Davis (Woody Allen) sat beneath the Queensboro Bridge, enjoying it and conversing till morning. The sequence was also featured on the movie’s recognizable poster.
