In India, air pollution has gone from being a seasonal inconvenience to a year-round crisis. Cities like Delhi choke under thick smog every winter, with the Air Quality Index frequently hitting “severe” levels. Breathing clean air (a basic human right) now feels like a luxury, one not everyone can afford.
Amidst this alarming reality, five-star hotels in India are cashing in on the desperation for breathable air. These luxury hotels have started offering ultra-clean air as part of their premium experience.
US billionaire Bryan Johnson recently shared a picture of a signboard from The Oberoi in Bengaluru. The sign proudly displayed the AQI inside their rooms – a pristine 2.4 – thanks to advanced air filters.
Hotel selling clean air as a service pic.twitter.com/YUwn3PrNsh
— Bryan Johnson /dd (@bryan_johnson) December 5, 2024
The Taj Palace in New Delhi also advertised their guestroom AQI at 58 – a massive improvement from the city’s AQI of 397 on the same day. Indian engineer and investor Debarghya Das shared this comparison
Selling clean air as a service is a pan-India hotel phenomenon https://t.co/MlDkXStA5Q pic.twitter.com/IJE283MBUe
— Deedy (@deedydas) December 5, 2024
People online found it bizarre how clean air, once taken for granted, is now a privilege for those who can pay for it. Some shared pictures of similar signboards from other places. Have a look:
In most of the world you go outside for fresh air—in India you go inside.
— Alex Tabarrok (@ATabarrok) December 5, 2024
shopping malls in delhi be flexing as well pic.twitter.com/05MniAyY5Z
— vidhvat (@vidhvatm) December 5, 2024
Yeah. Internal clean air is a big deal since it is so polluted outside.
Air purifiers, filters – all of this is a huge market. Just as at home filtering and purification of water is.
— Vaibhav Gadodia (@whoisvaibhav) December 5, 2024
We’ve finally arrived at dystopia.
— Dhawal Sharma (@dhawalhelix) December 5, 2024
Not really a sub. Just reducing qualms of a tourist.
Low AQI is important to folks coming from abroad and Indian corporates book a LOT of hotels for visits by their bosses coming from abroad. That’s a lot of their business.
You could say this is a necessity
— Aryan Agal (@aryanagxl) December 5, 2024
Wow!
Didn’t realize this has become a thing in India…
Guessing malls must be doing great business with this scheme ?— Riyan Mendonsa (@RiyanMendonsa) December 5, 2024
Next up: charging for sunshine and a free upgrade to moonlight. Guess I’ll need a loan for a breeze!
— Nikhil Wad (@niepreneur) December 5, 2024
I remember Taj in Delhi too. They boasted about about a low AQI inside the hotel.
Oxygen (and perhaps water) will surely be the next big thing few years down the road.
Health is directly proportionate to oxygen supply.— Manish (@A_wasted_Soul) December 5, 2024
Spotted at the Kuala Lumpur airport
Minds are changing pic.twitter.com/dlAOM6hxiz
— Butters (@chimpvc) December 5, 2024
One thing is clear – breathing freely has become the ultimate luxury.