Announcements In Local Language At Airports Soon

Bhubaneswar: Taking a leaf out of the ubiquitous announcements made in local language at railway stations, the Centre has asked all the 90 airports in India including the Biju Patnaik International Airport here operated by Airport Authority of India to make announcement in local language as well through the public address system.

So far, announcements at airports are confined in Hindi and English, an issue that was a subject of much consternation among airline users and the intelligentsia.

The Civil Aviation Ministry on directed all airports in the country to make announcements in local language first, followed by Hindi and English. Earlier in 2016, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had floated this idea.

The new order will not be applicable for silent airports such as Delhi, Mumbai and Begaluru, the ministry officials said.

Meanwhile, a  Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism & Culture has recommended that under no circumstances, cancellation charges of an airline ticket cannot be more than 50 per cent of basic fare.

News Agency ANI quoting the chairman of the committee Derek O Brien saying that tax and fuel surcharge collected should be refunded to passengers. He said that airlines are charging too much on this account.

Further Brein, who is a TMC Rajya Sabha MP, was quoted saying that the committee has strongly recommended measures to curb predatory pricing by airlines. The committee has asked the aviation ministry to form an upper cap on maximum ticket price and regulate airfares, baggage fees, and cancellation charges.

Brien in particular was critical of  Indigo, terming it a “worse performing airlines”. He said the airline haven’t responded inspite of many complaints. Indigo even charge for 1-2 kg overweight, this has not been taken very well and the committee is looking into the matter seriously, he said.