An Air France flight from Paris to Bengaluru surprised a passenger with boarding announcements in Kannada, alongside French and English. Sangam Manjunath shared the announcement on X, expressing gratitude for recognizing the regional language.

NEW DELHI: A Bengaluru-based traveller flying with Air France from Paris to Bengaluru was left surprised when boarding announcements were made not just in French and English, but also in Kannada, the regional language of Karnataka.
Taking to X, Sangam Manjunath shared a clip of the announcement and thanked the airline for the gesture. “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 wrote.

The post quickly gained traction online, sparking a wider conversation about the use of regional languages in aviation. While several users lauded the airline for acknowledging the local language, others dismissed it as routine practice. “It is common sense to know international airlines do announcements in the specific regional language while touching down at that specific location in India,” one user wrote.
Others, however, saw the gesture as an example for Indian carriers. “Please ensure all Indian airlines follow this model in their respective state languages and don’t push Hindi in its place,” a user said, tagging DGCA. Some even criticised domestic airlines, saying they fail to show similar sensitivity to regional identities.
Reactions ranged from appreciation to scepticism. “Respect for the territory that they are flying to,” a user said. Another remarked, “British Airways also did it when I travelled from Hyderabad to London. It’s common. Nothing special to celebrate.”
Still, for many, the inclusion of Kannada on an international flight stood out. “Air France was indeed very good in terms of service and food and respect for one of the oldest native languages in India,” a user commented.