Prabhu wanted compulsory in-flight announcements in local language, ministry said 'not feasible'

Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu had asked his ministry officials to make it compulsory for airlines to use local languages for in-flight announcements besides Hindi and English but was told that this measure was "practically not feasible".

On December 26, his private secretary Rohit Yadav wrote a note to the civil aviation ministry, stating that the minister has "directed that announcement on public address systems at all airports in India and also by the scheduled airlines should be in local language followed by Hindi and English".

Yadav added in his note that a "direction in this regard may be issued to all the airports and scheduled airlines immediately. Compliance in this regard may be submitted to this office by 1600 hours today i.e. 26.12.2018."
In an official note, the then civil aviation secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey wrote, "It is practically not feasible for airlines to make announcement in local language within the aircraft, because the aircraft touches several states and the cabin crew may not know that language."
However, Choubey agreed that airports can be asked to make public announcements in local language followed by Hindi and English, as he wrote,"While Chairman AAI (Airports Authority of India) will issue the direction to airports under their control, AS (AK) to issue letter to other airports."