Attention Passengers: Google Translate Could Lead to Confusing In-Flight Announcements

 Why Google Translate is NOT Your Friend in Aviation: The Danger of Mistranslations

Hello Readers,

In today's world, we all are dependent on Google for everything, and with AI being a new technology, we are just getting buried in it instead of going back to textbooks. Google Translate happens to be one of the tools that is user-friendly, easy to access, and easy to use, but most importantly, can we trust it completely?

Well, let me burst the bubble here, and the answer is screaming NO. Google Translate is best for everyday informal communication, and that's how it should be marketed. It works well for casual chats, travel phrases, or getting the gist of a foreign text. However, it lacks the precision needed for technical documents, legal contracts, or aviation communications.

Aviation language and announcements are highly structured and precise with clear and concise meaning to not spread misinformation since any miscommunication in aviation can lead to potential threats or danger, and that's why they always ask for clear communication. However, several airlines use Google Translate for their announcements. If you can speak, read, or understand Hindi well, it's easy to figure it out. But how dangerous can it be?

English: “Evacuate! Leave everything behind and proceed to the nearest exit!”

❌ Google Hindi Translation: "सब कुछ पीछे छोड़ दें और निकटतम निकास की ओर बढ़ें!"
🔴 Issue: It missed the word evacuate in translation, which is the most important part of it.

Similarly, I have a few more examples of blunders, a few of which are translated in more informal ways.

Errors in Google Translation:

1. "हमें केबिन में धुआं मिला है" → This means "We have found smoke in the cabin" instead of "We have detected smoke." The phrase "मिला है" sounds casual, as if someone stumbled upon smoke rather than an urgent safety detection.

2. "एक कपड़े से अपनी नाक और मुंह को ढकें" → "A cloth" has been translated as "एक कपड़ा," which may cause confusion. It should clearly instruct passengers to use any available cloth, like a handkerchief or scarf.

3. The urgency is slightly lost – While "तुरंत पालन करें" (follow immediately) is not entirely wrong, it lacks the commanding urgency needed in emergencies.

Now, let's see the informal one:

Google's translation of the announcement has some key issues, but "हालांकि" (Haalanki) is a major problem that can frustrate passengers. Here’s why:

Issue with "हालांकि" (Haalanki)

1. Lacks Responsibility & Sounds Casual

   • "हालांकि" translates to "However," but in Hindi, it is often used in casual, dismissive contexts rather than formal responsibility-taking.

While Google Translate is a great product or service to use, you cannot rely on it completely. Airlines should avoid using it and hire a professional to do it in the best possible manner.

~ A small mistake can create panic, misinterpret critical instructions, or even lead to life-threatening situations. Aviation professionals must always rely on industry-approved translations or trained translators for non-English communications.

Other than this, do you know I recently happened to find it out? Google uses male data to interpret languages; hence, it's not gender-neutral. Hence, if you're translating anything in Hindi, it often answers in a male tone and grammatically correct for them.

 

If you are an employee of Google or know someone who works there, forward this blog to them or share it with them to flag this issue. And please don't come here screaming feminism; it's just a language and all. It's about making AI work equally for everyone so that translations are correct, natural, and useful for everyone. Raising awareness about female speech errors isn't about creating gender debates-it's about improving AI for future generations. The goal is to have better accuracy, clarity, and fairness for everyone.