The archaic regulatory policies of India that continues to freeze out in-flight Internet in the country may soon tie up loose ends. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is anxious to provide on-board WiFi on national carrier Air India. However the final decision lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs (India’s homeland security) which is reluctant to give a green flag to it due to security concerns.
Air India has long toyed with the idea of offering in-flight internet to passengers. The carrier is once again weighing its options on revamping its wide-body aircraft, especially the Boeing 777 that cover long haul international routes. It is the only Indian carrier that flies non-stop to American destinations like New York, San Francisco, Washington & Chicago.
Recognizing the boredom & exhaustion caused by 15-17 hours of travelling without WiFi or any other sort of in-flight entertainments (IFE), WiFi on long haul flights indeed makes sense.
National Carrier Air India in Bad Shape
How each airline chooses to dress up their Dreamliner is up to them. National Carrier Air India does not seem to have much impressed its passengers with its interior. Passengers especially those travelling on international routes have always complained about the poor upkeep of flight interiors.
The aircraft has issues with its non-functional behind-the-seat in-flight entertainment (IFE) screens which is a necessity to survive long flights.
Broken seats, dirty linen, broken armrests, out of order washrooms, poor maintenance & awful state of Business Class are among the myriad of disappointments of this national airline. Moreover, Air India has a reputation for late flights adding to the exasperation of its passengers.
Measures Implemented by the authorities to provide On-Board Entertainment
The broken armrests & unresponsive on-board entertainment systems could be a thing of the past as the national carrier has decided to embark on a massive exercise to rectify all these issues and spruce up its maintenance exercise.
Authorities are now committed to match up with passengers’ expectations. The focus is on the following:
- Revamping seat upholstery & carpets,
- Proper reading lights, galleys & other interiors.
- Refurbishing of the on-board entertainment system in accordance with passenger’s requirements & taste.
- AI is also planning to acquire over 100 i Pads for business class passengers on ultra long haul flights for their entertainment.
To sum up, the airlines is all set to revamp the interior in general & business class in particular to enhance customer experience. Moreover the airline is planning to enhance the frequency of its popular US non-stops.
Aviation Minister is known to seek a special fund from the finance ministry for the purpose.
(160)