A little less than a week ago, India’s biggest low-cost carrier, IndiGo, removed canned beverages from its inflight menu and stopped the sale of canned carbonated drinks and juices. The budget carrier simultaneously announced that aside from these stoppages, it would provide passengers a complimentary glass of Coke or juice – but under one condition.
Why is IndiGo removing canned beverages?
For numerous years, the airline has been serving inflight treats using as much reusable packing as possible. While recyclable packaging is also an option, needing cabin crew members to segregate recyclables and non-recyclables when collecting trash from passengers can seem too time-consuming.
Photo: Airbus
However, the budget carrier still aims to combat rising trash levels. Since recycling is a tougher option, IndiGo recently revamped its inflight services by removing the provision of canned beverages onboard.
The decision to remove canned beverages aligns with the airline’s commitment to continue being a greener carrier, as thousands of aluminum cans have been saved from being thrown away.
What if passengers are thirsty?
While the slight revamp helps the airline’s sustainability initiative, it might worry passengers who wish to quench their thirst or calm their nerves onboard IndiGo flights. Fret not, as the budget carrier’s revamped initiative also includes providing passengers with a “complimentary” beverage onboard, except a price tag is technically attached.
Although it seems odd that the drink itself will be complimentary, the airline assures this refreshment as long as passengers purchase any snacks onboard their flights. IndiGo highlighted that previously, the menu included cashews for INR 200 ($2.41) and a canned Coke for INR 100 ($1.20), with the total being charged to the passenger for INR 300 ($3.61).
Photo: Airbus
The menu update now offers any snack purchased to be paired with either a juice or Coke for INR 200 ($2.41). To make things seem slightly more flattering, the airline emphasizes that the complimentary drink will be served in a glass, and the totaled cheaper price tag makes choosing to patronize the inflight menu much more affordable for passengers.
Is this update well-received?
While the airline’s buy-on-board menu is entirely optional for passengers, passengers often prefer having either a drink or a snack to accompany them throughout the flight – even if it makes paying sometimes. Given that the airline being discussed is a low-cost carrier, such practices should be seen as standard in this part of the industry.
With the menu update providing a sort of complimentary drink by purchasing a snack, perhaps passengers might appreciate the privilege of paying slightly less. But recently, a local politician known as Swapan Dasgupta took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to suggest that passengers should be able to buy a drink alone.
By having to purchase a snack just for a complimentary drink, Dasgupta emphasizes the lack of flexibility feels forceful from IndiGo towards passengers and seems to be principally wrong, especially for those who would have no desire or need to eat. But again, given how such practices are not particularly unusual, Dasgupta’s comments were heavily disagreed upon by others.
What do you think of IndiGo’s menu update? Let us know in the comments below.