Woman 'forced to change seats' on IndiGo flight due to language barrier; KTR questions airline

After a Twitter user alleged that a woman on board an Indigo flight from Vijaywada to Hyderabad was discriminated against due to not understanding in-flight announcements, Telangana IT minister KTR took up the issue on Sunday, urging the airline to 'start respecting local languages'.

Hyderabad: Low-cost carrier Indigo on Sunday faced flak from Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao, also known as KTR, after a viral tweet by a user alleged that a woman on board one of the airline's flights from Vijaywada to Hyderabad was moved from her seat owing to her not understanding in-flight instructions provided in English and Hindi.

"Indigo 6E 7297. Vijayawada (AP) to Hyderabad (Telangana), Sept 16-2022. The woman in green originally sitting in 2A (XL seat, exit row) was forced to seat 3C because she understood only Telugu, not English/Hindi. The attendant said it's a security issue," read the tweet by one Devasmita Chakraverty.

"Flight from AP to Telangana has no instructions in Telugu, attendant said it's a safety issue that she doesn't understand English/Hindi. If unhappy, we (not she) should complain. No dignity, non-Hindi treated as second class citizens in their own state," the Twitter user wrote in another tweet.

The passenger further tagged Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, urging him to look into the matter and ensure safety instructions be available in all languages. "@JM_Scindia I am looking up to you to resolve this at a systemic level. As policy, safety instructions should be available in all language & used as per need, not just in English/Hindi. It's a matter of safety, dignity, & treating everyone equally. Hope you'll do the right thing (sic)", she noted.

KTR's response to the situation came soon afterwards, as the minister asked the airline to start 'respecting local languages', also suggesting they hire more staff with the ability to converse in regional languages.

"Dear @IndiGo6E Management, I request you to start respecting local languages & passengers who may not be well conversant in English or Hindi. In regional routes, recruit more staff who can speak the local language like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada etc. This will be a win-win solution" he tweeted.

• Dear @IndiGo6E Management, I request you to start respecting local languages & passengers who may not be well conversant in English or Hindi
  
  In regional routes, recruit more staff who can speak the local language like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada etc. This will be a win-win solution https://t.co/GbJGi5nl0W

  — KTR (@KTRTRS) September 18, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Dear @IndiGo6E Management, I request you to start respecting local languages & passengers who may not be well conversant in English or Hindi
  
  In regional routes, recruit more staff who can speak the local language like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada etc. This will be a win-win solution https://t.co/GbJGi5nl0W

  — KTR (@KTRTRS) September 18, 2022

  ">

  Dear @IndiGo6E Management, I request you to start respecting local languages & passengers who may not be well conversant in English or Hindi
  
  In regional routes, recruit more staff who can speak the local language like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada etc. This will be a win-win solution https://t.co/GbJGi5nl0W

  — KTR (@KTRTRS) September 18, 2022

While some users agreed with Chakraverty's tweet, others pointed out that it would be logistically difficult to arrange for, and rotate, in-flight crew based on regional language owing to the diversity of India.