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Jumpseat My Flying Years
The crew seat they gave me. The storytelling seat I claimed. 37 Years later.
- Purnima Sadhana
I’m Purnima Sadhana. I joined Indian Airlines in 1978 — fresh out of university with a science degree and zero expectations beyond earning a living.
Instead, I earned a life.
For 35 years, I lived out of a suitcase and a uniform.
Delhi to Dubai. Baghdad to Birmingham.
From handwritten rosters to handheld check-ins.
From perfectly pleated sarees to stitched-on name badges.
From evacuating war zones to tea breaks that saved our sanity.
I eventually became Manager of In-Flight Services.
Somewhere along the way, I survived the crash landing of flight IC840, and was honoured with the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Award.
But the real reward?
It was belonging to that invisible, tight-knit network of women and men who made sure every flight was more than metal and fuel — they became human stories at 30,000 feet.
I retired in 2013.
But do you ever really stop flying?
About This Space
FastenYourSeatBelt isn’t just a blog. It’s a memory box, a logbook, and a habit.
A habit of listening when someone starts with, “Arey sun na…”
Of peeking behind the galley curtain.
Of wanting to know what really happened at 30,000 feet—and what was quietly survived at ground level.
Created by Purnima Sadhana, who flew with Indian Airlines for 35 years—back when sarees were starched, rosters were handwritten, and layovers came with handwritten letters.
This is where she’s finally unpacked her overhead bin—one memory at a time.
You’ll find
Mishaps that became dinner table stories
Teary goodbyes and unexpected reunions
Pro tips like: Never trust crew coffee on
early morning flights.
Aisle-side moments that remind you: not all turbulence is on the radar
Who This Seat Is Reserved For
Get to Know Us
This space is for:
Flyers, dreamers, crew, families, and nostalgia chasers
Anyone who’s ever waved at a plane and whispered “safe flight”
Or caught themselves staring out of a window seat, mid-thought, mid-sky
So whether you're in uniform or retired, grounded or still dreaming,
there’s a seat here for you.
Pour yourself something warm.
Click on a title that catches your eye.
You just might find a piece of yourself between these stories.
And yes — fasten your seatbelt.
Some memories still take off without warning.
What I do now
These days, I argue over commas and full stops with my daughter (hi Paroma, waving again).
I write stories — some I’ve lived, some I’m still learning to shape.
I speak with young flyers who remind me why I ever took off in the first place.
I’ve even taken up sculpting in my free time — perhaps because some memories deserve to be felt in clay, not just on paper.
And yes, I still look up every time a plane crosses the sky… and whisper, “Safe flight.”
This isn’t a farewell.
It’s just the seatbelt sign coming off
Stretch your legs.
Breathe easy.
Enjoy the ride.
