Air India implements new in-flight meal pre-booking requirement, updates halal certification policy
In a major policy update, Tata-owned Air India has announced that all passengers must now pre-book their meals before boarding, a part of the airline's restructuring following its merger with Vistara. This move is designed to streamline in-flight services and cater more precisely to passenger preferences.
One of the significant changes involves halal-certified meals. Going forward, halal meals will only be available to Muslim passengers who select the 'Muslim Meal' (MOML) option during the pre-booking process. These meals will include a halal certificate to guarantee authenticity, but general meal options will not carry halal certification unless specifically designated as MOML.
Air India's internal guidelines clarify that MOML meals will fall under the category of special meals, ensuring that passengers receive halal-certified food only if they pre-book this option. This change allows the airline to better align its meal offerings with the specific dietary requirements of its passengers.
However, the airline will maintain its practice of serving exclusively halal meals on certain international routes. Flights to and from Saudi Arabia—including Jeddah, Dammam, Riyadh, and Medina—as well as those related to the Hajj pilgrimage, will continue to offer only halal meals, in line with local standards and passenger expectations.
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'The Guardian' exits X, citing platform’s “Toxic Environment”
London, Nov 14: The Guardian, a prominent UK-based media outlet, has announced it will no longer post content on its X account (formerly Twitter), citing a “toxic media environment” as the reason for its exit. In a statement on its website, The Guardian said that the “benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives” and indicated that its resources would be better allocated to other platforms that effectively promote its journalism.
The Guardian has raised concerns over “disturbing content” frequently promoted on X, including far-right conspiracy theories and racist rhetoric, which has intensified during the US presidential election campaign. “This is something we have been considering for a while,” the statement read, adding that the platform’s influence under Elon Musk’s ownership has “shaped political discourse” in concerning ways. The statement also mentioned that the media outlet’s presence on X “plays a diminished role in promoting our work,” urging readers to support its journalism directly on its website.
Although The Guardian will stop posting on X, it confirmed that users will still be able to share its stories on the platform. Additionally, the organization may embed posts from X in its articles, and reporters will continue to use the platform for “news-gathering purposes.”
Meanwhile, Elon Musk, widely criticized for his transformation of Twitter into X after acquiring the platform in 2022, was appointed head of a new government department by President-elect Donald Trump. Alongside politician Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk will co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In his announcement, Trump praised Musk and Ramaswamy as “two wonderful Americans” who will work to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies” in line with his administration’s “Save America” movement.
