The crew of national carrier Air India (AI) will have to say Jai Hind “[with] much fervour” after every flight announcement and the airline will provide priority boarding to defence personnel, a circular issued by the airline and officials familiar with the matter said.
“With immediate effect, all [crew] are required to announce ‘Jai Hind’ at the end of every announcement after a slight pause and [with] much fervour,” read a circular issued by Amitabh Singh, Director Operations, Air India.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an AI official said: “Staff at the boarding gate has been told to make an announcement asking defence personnel to board first. This is a gesture to thank them for what they are doing it for the country. ”
The advisory has been marked to all crew members of the cash-strapped carrier. During his first stint as Air India’s Chairman and Managing Director, Ashwani Lohani had issued a similar direction to pilots in May 2016.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the current advisory is a “reminder” to the staff, in line with the “mood of the nation”.
“The captain of a flight should often connect with passengers during the journey and, at the end of first address, using the words ‘Jai Hind’ would make a tremendous impact,” Lohani said in a communication to his staff in May 2016. Lohani in his communication had also asked the staff to be “courteous and polite” to passengers and said wearing a smile would be a “good thing”.
{{/usCountry}}“The captain of a flight should often connect with passengers during the journey and, at the end of first address, using the words ‘Jai Hind’ would make a tremendous impact,” Lohani said in a communication to his staff in May 2016. Lohani in his communication had also asked the staff to be “courteous and polite” to passengers and said wearing a smile would be a “good thing”.
{{/usCountry}}Lohani had said, “The cabin crew should greet the passengers while emplaning and deplaning with a ‘namaskaar’ as was the tradition. A smile on the face and conversing sweetly and politely without an iota of irritation would be a good thing.”
Last month, the central government called back retired technocrat Lohani to head the carrier as chairman and managing director for a second time within two years. His first tenure as Air India chief was from August 2015 to August 2017. Lohani was appointed Railway Board chairman in August 2017 and retired in December 2018.
(With inputs from PTI)