“We had barely started our 15-hour journey when I discovered a cockroach in my first breakfast meal,” Savant wrote, expressing her shock. She added, “What made it worse was that I had fed the same meal to my 2-year-old. I felt sick to my stomach.”
Savant mentioned this experience has made her family reconsider flying with Air India. “We’ve always stuck with Air India despite its issues, but this was too much. Now, we’re dreading our return flight,” she stated.
Air India expressed concern over the incident.
“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. We are concerned about the customer’s experience and have taken up the matter with our catering service provider for further investigation. Necessary actions will be taken to prevent such instances in the future,” an Air India spokesperson said.
This isn’t the first time Air India has faced customer complaints. Since the Tata Group acquired the airline in a $2.4 billion deal two years ago, efforts to upgrade the aging fleet have been hindered by parts shortages and persistent flight delays. These challenges are especially pronounced at the premium end of the service, as Air India tries to attract high-spending travelers.Earlier this month, the airline refunded airfare to an India-origin CEO who complained about inadequate facilities in the first-class cabin on a Chicago-Delhi flight.In January, another Air India passenger found a piece of metal in his meal, an incident the airline attributed to a malfunctioning vegetable processing machine. Additionally, a business-class passenger on a New Delhi-Newark flight claimed to have been served “uncooked” food and complained of dirty seats.