Air India Revises Its Alcohol Policy. Take Note, Travellers!

by Mallika Khurana
Air India Revises Its Alcohol Policy. Take Note, Travellers!

As the airline recovers from a string of embarrassing happenings that resulted in penalties and left the public outraged, Air India staff associates have been offered a refresher to be reminded of the proper way to politely refuse alcohol to customers if they appear to be at risk of acting inappropriately. Here’s all you need to know before travelling with Air India next time.

Top Takeaways From This Air India Refresher

Air India
Photo Credits: Wikimedia Credits

Alcohol Only To Be Served By The Crew

Passengers will not be allowed to consume alcohol unless served to them by the cabin staff, who should be careful in spotting guests who might be sipping their own drink. The revised policy was shared after the airline had been under scrutiny for the drunk man incident

Right To Refuse The Consumption Of Alcohol

In the event that a you are drinking your own alcohol and there are plausible grounds to presume that the your capabilities are impaired to the point where they will pose a risk to the plane, and those on board, Air India’s cabin crew has the authority to refuse boarding, refuse service of liquor, or remove any unconsumed alcohol.

Examine Excessive Intoxication

The cabin staff is asked to keep an eye out for indications of excessive intoxication in patrons and should pay attention to their coordination, behaviour, speech, and balance. The policy asserted the use of traffic light systems to categorise the behaviour as ‘red,’ ‘yellow’ and ‘green.’

Also read: Bengaluru Airport Sees Long Queues & Huge Crowd On Wednesday Morning Ahead Of Republic Day

Diplomatically Cut-Off Alcohol

The airline’s staff has been asked to cut off travellers’ access to alcohol diplomatically and without making judgments or remarks. It is essential to determine if the behaviour is a basic personality trait or the effect of alcohol.

Refrain From Using The Word ‘Drunk’

The airline has made it clear to its staff to avoid using the word “drunk” when handling guests and to politely notify them that their conduct is inappropriate. 

Do Not Raise The Voice 

It also instructed using conflict management methods to control and stave off escalation when dealing with rude travellers.

Remember To Be Respectful

The airline advised employees to address excessively drunk customers with a firm tone and regard. Additionally, the cabin staff shouldn’t infer that just because something has been talked about, it is settled.

The Policy Is Carefully Examined

In a statement, Air India stated that they had examined their current in-flight alcohol assistance policy, consulting both the regulations followed by other airlines and the US National Restaurant Association’s recommendations.

The Original Policy Stays Intact

These policies mainly correspond with Air India’s current approach, though some changes have been made for proper clarity.

The Airline Has Been On The Receiving End Of Multiple Fines

Multiple fines have been levied against the airline owned by the Tata group in recent days as a result of the disorderly behaviour of passengers on two international flights and errors in the airline’s handling of the incidents.

How do you feel about these changes in the policy?

Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons