Air India has started flying with the logo of the 150th birth anniversary commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi being marked this year.
Currently, two aircraft have the logo proudly displayed on the left side of the fuselage. The Airbus 319 and A320 have been operating on both domestic as well as international routes. Very shortly, the rest of the fleet will also sport this image.
“The plan is to have all 163 aircraft belonging to Air India, Alliance Air and Air India Express embossed with the logo within the next three months,” a senior Air India official told newsmen in Delhi.
It takes about five hours to get the logo embossed on an aircraft. Currently, Air India has 125 aircraft under its main brand which will be embossed with the logo. Besides, the Air India Group has 23 aircraft with its subsidiary Air India Express and 15 planes with Alliance Air.
The airline also plans to play Gandhiji’s favourite bhajans on its flights, apart from playing short videos on the Mahatma on its international flights. The government also plans to have Gandhiji’s pictures on trains, metro rail, and State roadways buses.
This year’s Republic Day parade in New Delhi was also themed on Mahatma Gandhi in the 150th year of his birth. Each of the 22 tableaux – 16 from various Indian states and six from central ministries and departments – provided an episodic slice from the life of the Father of the Nation.
IANS