A Bengaluru-based passenger flying from Paris to Bengaluru was pleasantly surprised when Air France made in-flight boarding announcements in Kannada, along with French and English. Sharing the moment on X (formerly Twitter), the flier expressed appreciation for the gesture of cultural recognition, calling it a “warm welcome before reaching home.”
The post quickly gained traction, sparking discussion on linguistic representation in Indian aviation. The passenger commended the airline for acknowledging Kannada, a classical Indian language, and for promoting diversity and inclusivity in global travel.
Reactions online were mixed. Many celebrated the move, encouraging the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to mandate announcements in regional languages across all Indian airlines, rather than defaulting to Hindi. One user remarked, “International carriers routinely make announcements in local languages upon landing—why not Indian airlines too?”
Others criticized the post, questioning the authenticity of such announcements. A long-time traveler dismissed the claim, arguing that no Indian airline had ever used Kannada in international flights, calling the poster “an enemy of Kannadigas.”
Meanwhile, Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has also made strides toward linguistic inclusivity by adding Kannada as a language option on its official website. According to BIAL CEO Hari Marar, this feature aims to enhance access and comfort for local travelers, ensuring they can navigate services in their preferred language.
These developments underscore growing public demand for regional language recognition in both air travel and infrastructure communication.
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