An Air India passenger traveling from Delhi to New York on flight AI 101 has raised a serious complaint after discovering a cockroach in an omelette served during the journey. The airline has expressed concern over the issue and has initiated an investigation with its catering provider.
Incident revealed on social media
The incident came to light when the passenger posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating that her 2-year-old child had eaten most of the contaminated meal before they discovered the cockroach. She added that both suffered from food poisoning as a result. The passenger shared photos and a video of the meal, tagging Air India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu.
In response, Air India issued a statement acknowledging the complaint and stating that the issue was taken up with the catering service for further investigation. “We are aware of a social media post by a passenger regarding a foreign object in the onboard meal offered to them on AI 101 operating from DEL to JFK on 17 September 2024,” an Air India spokesperson said.
The airline also expressed its regret over the experience and assured that measures would be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. “We will take necessary actions to prevent any recurrence of such instances in the future,” the spokesperson added.
Air India highlighted that it works with well-established caterers who supply meals to leading airlines worldwide, adhering to strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and multiple quality checks. “Air India works with reputed caterers who supply to leading airlines globally and have stringent SOPs and multiple checks to ensure the quality of meals served to the guests,” the statement concluded.