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A Bengaluru-based traveller flying from Paris to Bengaluru with Air France was pleasantly surprised to hear boarding announcements made not only in French and English but also in Kannada—the official language of Karnataka.
Sangam Manjunath, who shared a video of the announcement on X (formerly Twitter), expressed his appreciation for the airline’s cultural sensitivity. “Such a warm welcome before I reached home! Thank you, Air France, for recognising one of the oldest regional languages of the Indian Union and upholding diversity,” he posted.
I recently traveled with Air France (@airfrance ) from Paris to Bengaluru!
To my surprise, they made announcements in Kannada, French, and English when we boarded in Paris!
Such a warm welcome before I reached home!
Thank you, Air France, for recognizing one of the oldest… pic.twitter.com/dbTV6YBRNq— Sangam (@SangamManjunath)
I recently traveled with Air France (@airfrance ) from Paris to Bengaluru!
To my surprise, they made announcements in Kannada, French, and English when we boarded in Paris!
Such a warm welcome before I reached home!
Thank you, Air France, for recognizing one of the oldest… pic.twitter.com/dbTV6YBRNq— Sangam (@SangamManjunath) May 5, 2025
">May 5, 2025
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The clip quickly went viral, sparking a debate around the use of regional languages in aviation. Many praised the gesture, calling it a respectful nod to local identity. Others noted that such multilingual announcements are standard practice for international carriers flying into diverse regions.
“This is common practice for global airlines,” one user commented, while another urged Indian carriers to follow suit. “Please ensure all Indian airlines use regional languages on domestic routes instead of defaulting to Hindi,” the user wrote, tagging India’s aviation regulator, DGCA.
Some even criticised domestic airlines for not showing similar inclusivity. “Respect for the territory they are flying to—that’s how it should be,” a user commented.
While opinions varied, the gesture by Air France was widely seen as a welcome recognition of linguistic diversity. “Great service, great food, and respect for Kannada,” one user summed up, applauding the airline’s approach.Top of Form
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