Air India has issued a company advisory that requires the airline staff to say “Jai Hind” with “much fervour” after every announcement, media has reported. The advisory was issued by Captain Amitabh Singh, Director operations but Ashwani Lohani, the newly-appointed CMD, has been credited for taking the decision.
His admiration for the armed forces is knowledge in the public domain. In his previous stint as the CMD, he had also ordered providing priority boarding preference to soldiers as a gesture of respect.
Air India, as an institution, has always been at the forefront in times of crisis. The heightened tension between India and Pakistan had briefly caused a disruption in air service, leading to a steep rise in airfares to Jammu, Srinagar and the likes. Commendably, the national carrier had chosen to cap fares to INR 5000, much to the relief of stranded passengers at several airports.
There is little surprise that Air India has taken a lead yet again. Its latest move is sure to infuse a sense of patriotism among Indians flying the national carrier.
