Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Air India One is actually a flying PMO. He is known to work and hold meetings during his busy and long flying-schedule. The teetotaller has also ensured that no alcohol is served under his nose in the flight.
According to a report in the Times of India (TOI), a highly placed source said, “Liquor is simply not served on the PM’s flights.”
The average age of the Air India Boeing 747s used for these VVIP flights is 25 years. In-flight entertainment was still a concept when these machines were made.
“So the only option for the officials travelling with the PM is to either sleep and arrive ready to work or engross themselves in files or work on their personal electronic devices,” said a source according to TOI.
The source also told TOI that the foreign ministry decides the flight’s menu and the PM usually opts for a simple vegetarian meal according to a source. However, there is no restriction on others being served non-veg food on Modi’s flights.
The government has chosen the ultra long- haul Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to replace the ageing Boeing 747s that serve as the Air India One fleet.
According to Wikipedia reports, AI has a fleet of 12 777s, out of which two would be transferred to the defence ministry for VVIP travels.
In a significant change from the past and on the lines of the US President’s Air Force One fleet, the two 777s once handed over to the defence ministry won’t be used for commercial operations by AI at all.
At present, the 747s are deployed for commercial operations by AI when not in use for VVIP flights.
