Welcome aboard this HISTORIC flight! Air India to make this announcement on Friday

In an order, the operations department told the airline's pilots to make a specific announcement after door closure on every flight departing on Friday (Jan 28). The Indian government handed over Air India to the Tata Group on Thursday afternoon.

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New Delhi: Passengers who will be travelling on Air India flights on Friday (January 28) will be hearing about the Tata Group's takeover of the airline during in-flight announcements, according to an official order.

The Indian government handed over Air India to the Tata Group on Thursday afternoon, after approximately 69 years when it was taken from the conglomerate.

In an order, the operations department told the airline's pilots to make a specific announcement after door closure on every flight departing on Friday. As per the order, the announcement will be as follows: "Dear Guests, This is your Captain (Name) speaking........Welcome aboard this historic flight, which marks a special event."

"Today, Air India officially becomes a part of the Tata Group again, after seven decades. We look forward to serving you on this and every Air India flight with renewed commitment and passion," the announcement will state, as per the order. "Welcome to the future of Air India! We hope you enjoy the journey. Thank you," the announcement will further state.

After a competitive bidding process, the government had on October 8 last year sold Air India to Talace Private Limited - a subsidiary of the Tata Group's holding company - for Rs 18,000 crore.

Sources said that smart and well-groomed cabin crew members, better on-time performance of flights, calling passengers as "guests" and enhanced in-flight meal service are some of the measures the Tata Group is focusing on at Air India immediately after taking over the airline on Thursday.

Employees have been told by the Tata Group that there will be a change in "image, attitude and perception" of Air India, sources said. Cabin crew members have been instructed to address all passengers as "guests" and the cabin crew supervisor will have to monitor safety and service standards provided to the guests, they noted.

The crew members will have to be smartly dressed and well-groomed, and there will be grooming executives who will be conducting checks at the airports. Since on-time performance is extremely important, all endeavours will have to be made by the crew members to ensure that the doors are closed 10 minutes before the flight's departure.

(With PTI inputs)