Must Say ‘Jai Hind’ After Every Announcement: Air India to Crew

Air India asks its crew to say ‘Jai Hind’ after every flight announcement. This is a reinforcement of a 2016 rule.

Air India asks its crew to say ‘Jai Hind’ after every flight announcement, in a repeat of a 2016 rule.

(Photo: Reuters)

An official advisory of the national carrier Air India on Monday, 4 March, made it mandatory for the airlines crew to say ‘Jai Hind’ after every announcement.

The advisory added that the announcement must be made 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 the advisory issued by Amitabh Singh, Director of Operations, Air India.

The advisory has been marked to all crew members of the cash-strapped carrier.

Reinforcement of 2016 Rule

A similar direction was issued to pilots in 2016 under the then Air India Chair and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani.

The current advisory is a "reminder" to the staff, in line with the “mood of the nation,” officials told PTI.

“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.

Besides, 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".

“The cabin crew should greet the passengers while emplaning and deplaning with a <i>namaskaar</i> as was the tradition. A smile on the face and conversing sweetly and politely without an iota of irritation would be a good thing.”

Ashwani Lohani in 2016.

Lohani Called Back to Head Air India

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)