Ai To Offer Massage Seats On Flights To Europe

Air India is introducing special massage seats in its business and first class sections on the European and North-American routes as part of its comprehensive product upgradation programme in the premium segment of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft. The new feature will be introduced in phases to be completed by the second quarter of this year.

Massage seats are the latest fad in adding value to airline travel.

The computerised seat, invented by a Japanese company, offers different massage programs to suit individual requirements. The massage covers the neck down to the spine and the time ranges from one to five minutes.

 

Air India will become the first airline to offer this unique feature in South Asia. Very few airlines in the world have massage seats, a facility launched by Japan Air Lines (JAL) early last year. JALs long haul flights on Japan-US routes have this seat which is very popular with travellers.

A one or two minute massage can relax passengers and considerably reduce travel fatigue.

The seat has built in pads that mimic the actions of an expert masseur. It adjusts automatically to body size and can accomodate a lightweight to a sumo wrestler.

Air India has six 747-400 aircraft which operate on the routes to the United States Ca- nada, Europe and the Gulf. The airline plans to introduce the upgradaded premium class package on all new planes such as the proposed medium capacity long range (MCLR) aircraft.

The airlines comprehensive upgradation project also includes special lounges at Delhi and Mumbai airports for first and business class passengers. The Delhi lounge is already working. For premium travellers, a new inflight menu, more like the food served in a restaurant rather than on a flight, is also on the cards.

Light meals that do not disturb the bio-rythm during a long flight have been emphasised in the new menu.

The airline is offering an on-time guarantee under which 1000 mileage points will be added to frequent flyers accounts if the flight is delayed by over half an hour.

Airline managing director Brijesh Kumar is expected to write soon to inform all frequent flyer club members of the scheme.

An airline spokesperson did not disclose how the new schemes would affect the companys finances.

This is part of an ongoing product upgradation programme, she said.

Air India had to borrow Rs 250 crore recently to meet working capital needs.

The airline has recently introduced a flight to Chicago via Amsterdam and is planning to add more flights to its operations on the US and European routes this year.

Later this year, Air India is scheduled to induct its seventh 747-400 aircraft, likely to be used for long flights to the far east and Australia.