This Pilot Gave Her Air Hostess Mom The Best Retirement Gift Ever

Ashrrita Chinchankar was the first officer on her mom Pooja?s last flight as an air hostess, after 38 years of service. It has to be the best retirement gift ever!

An Air India pilot, Ashrrita Chinchankar, fulfilled her air hostess mother?s dream and gave her the best retirement gift ever by piloting her last flight as an air hostess. Pooja Chinchankar, 58, was retiring after a 38-year career as cabin crew and had always wanted her daughter to be the one to fly her on that special flight.

Little did she know that not only would the dream come true but it would also go on to become heartwarming national news.

Ashrrita, who is active on Twitter as @caramelwings, tweeted this on July 30.

What happened next was not something she had imagined. The heartwarming tweet went viral with almost 1258 retweets and more than 9000 likes, with everyone from Air India to MP Praful Patel, the former minister for civil aviation retweeting it and wishing the duo good luck.

So what happened on the much-awaited flight?

As the Air India Bangalore-Mumbai flight started its descent towards Mumbai, Captain Paresh Nerurkar had a very special announcement to make. He told passengers that Pooja, the flight?s senior most airhostess, will retire on landing after 38 years of service. And her legacy would be carried forward by het daughter who was his co-pilot on that flight.

As the passengers broke into applause (and got misty-eyed we are sure) Pooja walked down the aisle to the applause of the passengers and cabin crew. She had always wanted her daughter to be a pilot and this had been the best retirement gift ever.

?When I joined Indian Airlines in 1980, there were only two women pilots in the company, including Captain Saudamini Deshmukh. When I had a daughter, I wanted her to become a pilot. As she grew up, she saw me getting ready to go to the airport in my graceful uniform, interacting with collleagues and the family flying together on vacation,? Pooja told the Times of India.

Ashrrita (who was on the flight deck of course) posted a video taken by the cabin crew of Pooja walking down the aisle. It?s a daughter?s tribute to a strong mom with great work ethics, who had a dream for her daughter and led by example. And for the mom, it?s a gift she will cherish forever.

So what does Pooja plan to do post retirement? Ashrrita told The BBC this: ?She plans to travel for a couple of months, after which she will decide what she wants to do.? She also added: ?The best part about travelling without a fixed itinerary is not having a plan.?

We wish Pooja and Ashrrita all the very best and wish the news brought us such lovely stories every day.

Do you have a heartwarming story of your retirement or of your children and loved ones to share with us? Mail it to us here on connect@silvertalkies.com

Featured image courtesy: Twitter