A disturbing incident occurred on an Air India flight from Delhi to New York when a passenger, Suyesha Savant, discovered a cockroach in her in-flight meal. The contaminated meal, an omelette served during the flight, had already been partially consumed by Savant and her 2-year-old child before she found the insect. Following the incident, Savant reported experiencing symptoms of food poisoning, prompting her to take immediate action.
The situation quickly gained public attention as Savant shared her experience on social media, raising concerns about food safety standards on flights. Below, we explore the incident in detail, Air India’s response, and the measures taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Cockroach found in Air India passenger’s omelette served during the flight
Suyesha Savant, a passenger on Air India’s AI 101 flight from Delhi to New York on 17 September 2024, took to social media to report her discovery of a cockroach in the omelette served as part of the in-flight meal. By the time the insect was found, both she and her young child had already consumed more than half of the meal. As a result, Savant reported feeling unwell, with symptoms indicative of food poisoning.
Savant used X (formerly Twitter) to share a video and photographs of the contaminated meal, tagging Air India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu in her post. Her complaint quickly attracted attention from the public and media, highlighting concerns about hygiene and food quality on long-haul flights.
Air India’s response
In response to the incident, an Air India spokesperson acknowledged Savant’s complaint and assured the public that the airline was taking the matter seriously. The spokesperson confirmed the airline was aware of the social media post, stating, “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.”
Investigation initiated
Air India immediately launched an investigation into the matter, collaborating with the catering service provider responsible for the in-flight meal. The airline works with well-known catering companies that also supply meals to other major airlines, and they emphasised that these caterers follow strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure food safety and hygiene.
Air India reiterated its commitment to high-quality in-flight services and stated that they would take appropriate corrective actions to prevent such incidents from happening again. “We will take necessary actions to prevent any recurrence of such instances in the future,” the spokesperson added.
Food safety and in-flight catering standards
Air India, like many other airlines, partners with external catering services to provide meals for passengers. These catering companies are expected to maintain high standards of food safety, including cleanliness, temperature control, and thorough inspections of all ingredients before preparation.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
To ensure the highest level of safety, airlines and their catering providers typically follow SOPs, which include:
- Regular audits and inspections: Catering facilities undergo regular inspections to meet hygiene standards and government regulations.
- Quality control checks: Ingredients used in meals are inspected before use, and meals undergo quality checks before being loaded onto the flight.
- Storage and handling: Meals are prepared in clean environments and stored at appropriate temperatures to avoid contamination.
- Handling foreign objects: Protocols are in place to prevent the presence of foreign objects in meals. In the rare event that such an issue arises, corrective actions are taken, including thorough investigations.
Despite these measures, incidents like this one highlight that no system is entirely immune to failure. When such lapses occur, swift investigations and corrective actions are necessary to restore passenger confidence and ensure that safety standards are upheld.
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