Air travellers request for Tamil announcements in flights operating within TN

CHENNAI: Several passengers taking flights from different districts in Tamil Nadu have expressed their concerns over the flight announcements being made in English or Hindi without one in the local language, making it difficult for them to process the information.

They requested for it to be made at least once in Tamil so it would help them understand the instructions, according to a Maalaimalar report.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) recently said that 793.48 lakh passengers travelled in domestic air transport in the country during the period from January to June last year.

This year, there has been a 4.28 percent increase in the number of passengers compared to last year.

Officials said that on a monthly basis, the number of passengers is increasing by 5.76 percent and Chennai has attracted more return visitors than any other airports in terms of air passenger arrivals.

In August last year alone, a total of 18,43,337 people arrived and departed from Chennai Airport.

Similarly, Tiruchy is the second busiest international airport in Tamil Nadu after Chennai. On the 11th, more than 7,000 passengers arrived and departed from Tiruchy.

However, air travellers have complained that all the announcements in the airports and aircrafts related to the journey, instructions to comply with during an emergency, and safety warnings were being made in Hindi and English.

"Even the announcement stickers on the seat were not in Tamil either. It would be useful for passengers if there was an announcement in the local language on a flight operating within Tamil Nadu," said a passenger from Tiruchy.

Keeping the frustration of passengers in mind, air travellers have requested the airport authorities to consider taking steps to make announcements in Tamil on flights operating within TN.