NEED TO KNOW
- Air India has issued an apology after two passengers spotted multiple cockroaches on their flight
- The incident occurred on Flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai
- During a fuel stop in Kolkata, the plane was deep cleaned before it resumed its journey to Mumbai
Passengers aboard a recent long-haul Air India flight were joined by some unwelcome visitors.
Flight AI180 was traveling from San Francisco to Mumbai when two passengers spotted multiple cockroaches scurrying around mid-flight, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed to PEOPLE.
“On flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata, two passengers were unfortunately bothered by the presence of a few small cockroaches on board,” the airline shared in a statement.
The passengers notified a crew member of the issue and were then relocated to another row in the aircraft. The airline’s statement added that the passengers were “comfortable thereafter” following the seat change.
Getty
The plane had a scheduled fuel stop at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, India, where it was deep cleaned before continuing on to Mumbai.
“Despite our regular fumigation efforts, insects can sometimes enter an aircraft during ground operations,” the airline added in their statement.
“Air India will be undertaking a comprehensive investigation to determine the source and the cause of this incident and implement measures to prevent recurrence. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to the passengers.”
PEOPLE previously reported on another cockroach-related incident on an Air India flight last year.
In September 2024, a passenger named Suyesha Savant claimed she found a cockroach in her in-flight meal while traveling from Delhi to New York. She detailed the unpleasant experience, which she claimed gave her food poisoning, in a post on X.
“Found a cockroach in the omelette served to me on the @airindia flight from Delhi to New York,” Savant wrote at the time. “My 2 year old finished more than half of it with me when we found this.”
Getty (2)
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
She also shared two images in the post which showed the insect poking out from underneath the eggs.
In response, Air India’s X account replied to the post the same day, writing, “Dear Ms. Savant, we’re very sorry to hear about your experience” and noted that the airline would investigate the incident “promptly.”
About the Author
