Cabin and cockpit crew of Air India will have to say “Jai Hind” after every in-flight announcement, according to a directive issued by the national carrier on Monday.
Effective immediately, the directive stresses that the slogan must be raised with “much fervour”.
“With immediate effect, all (crew) are required to announce ‘Jai Hind’ at the end of every announcement after a slight pause and much fervour,” stated an advisory issued by Amitabh Singh, Director Operations, Air India.
The directive comes in less than two weeks since Ashwani Lohani began his second term as the as the chairperson and managing director of the cash-strapped airline.
PTI reports that officials believe the current advisory is a “reminder” to the staff and in line with the “mood of the nation”. The reference is possibly at the recent developments post the 14 February Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent airstrike by the IAF on a major training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
Social media users were quick to criticise the directive.
Little surprise that with General Elections around the corner, the josh of patriotism hasn’t even spared the skies. https://t.co/AyVvEPDU3u
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 5, 2019
Now with this new move, I’m sure Air India will soon become profitable. Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/5Am6UyiQPe
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) March 4, 2019
Air India crew has been instructed to say ‘Jai Hind’ after every announcement in the flight! ‘Muscular nationalism’ is THE ISSUE in 2019. Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/sCNPmE2Jdp
— Sukesh Ranjan (@RanjanSukesh) March 4, 2019
Now all Air India flights have to say ‘Jai Hind’ after a ‘brief’ pause in every announcement. Maybe that will improve AI’s services.
Jai Hind.— Kartik Bhardwaj (@serialeditor) March 4, 2019
Lohani was Air India chief from August 2015 to August 2017 before his appointment as Railway Board chairman. He retired as Railway Board chairman in December 2018.
In February, the government called him back to head Air India as chairman and MD for a second time.
In May 2016, Lohani had issued a similar directive to captains of Air India flights suggesting that they end their first address with “Jai Hind” for “tremendous impact”.
He had also asked the staff to be “courteous and polite” to passengers and said wearing a smile would be a “good thing”.