International Yoga Day: Air India to promote yoga mid-air

NEW DELHI: Seeking to promote the International Yoga Day mid-air, state-run carrier Air India will on June 21 show a film on yoga across its flights, along with special in-flight announcement.

Starting Sunday, the airline will hold the celebrations mid-air for the entire week, besides, conducting specific yoga and meditation courses during the period to mark the global event.

"We are just carrying forward our Prime Minister's patronage and collective call to celebrate June 21 as the International Yoga Day by organising a programme for all our employees for the full week at all major bases which will include yoga and meditation," a senior Air India official said today.

The airline has invited all its 21,000-odd employees to actively participate in the global event, with a special focus on cabin crew and Angels of Air India, the official said, adding, "The cabin crew are the brand ambassador of the airline and need to be always in their best groomed appearance and mannerism."

The cabin crew not only have to present a smiling face but also need to be inwardly happy and peaceful and yoga and meditation are the useful tools for achieving this inner happiness and peace, besides physical health and wellbeing, the official added.

"Since the job function of cabin crew entails physical as well as psycho-social work related stress, the pressure of physical fatigue and jet lag affects the cabin crew physically and mentally, hence it has been adopted as part of their training curriculum," he said.

Angels of Air India, who are part of the airline's special emergency response team, have also been adviced to follow the principles of yoga, the airline said, as "they have the extraordinary difficult task of dealing with survivors, their families and the trauma that has been faced by them and manage a rather stressful situation which may continue for days."

Pointing out that yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition and is immensely useful in the life of all employees, the official said, "it has been recommended that all employees adopt yoga, as practicing such exercises daily will enhance their living style and well-being."