Noida’s Historic First Flight: On June 15, the newly inaugurated Noida International Airport welcomed its very first commercial flight. IndiGo’s aircraft touched down at 7:55 AM, greeted by a grand water cannon salute, a symbolic gesture marking the beginning of operations at India’s ambitious aviation hub.
Brazil’s FIFA Take Off: Earlier this month, Brazil’s national football team, including Neymar, departed for the FIFA World Cup. Their aircraft was honoured with a water cannon salute at Rio de Janeiro’s Galeao Airport, a gesture of goodwill before their global quest.
From Ships to Skies: The water cannon salute began in the 19th century with ships. Fireboats sprayed water on vessels leaving for their first journey as a mark of honour. Aviation picked up this tradition much later, in the 1990s, turning it into a way of celebrating special flights. Since then, airports around the world have used it to mark big milestones and emotional moments.
When and How It’s Done: Water cannon salutes are saved for big occasions, like inaugural landings, victorious homecomings, or the arrival of new aircraft models. To make it happen, airport firefighting vehicles line up on both sides of the taxiway and spray high-pressure water streams that meet in the middle. This creates a dramatic tunnel of water for the aircraft to pass through, turning the moment into a grand spectacle.
Iconic Salutes in India and Abroad: India saw another grand moment in 2025 when Navi Mumbai Airport welcomed its first commercial flight with a water cannon salute. On the global stage, one of the most memorable salutes was in 2003, when Concorde made its final flight. At New York’s JFK Airport, red, white, and blue water streams marked the farewell of the legendary supersonic jet.
