Air India faces scrutiny as passenger finds metal blade in his meal

The passenger claimed that Air India subsequently contacted him a few days later, proposing a complimentary business class journey to any destination worldwide

Air India is under scrutiny following a disturbing incident aboard flight AI 175 from Bengaluru to San Francisco, where journalist Mathures Paul discovered a metal blade in his in-flight meal. Paul took to social media to recount his harrowing experience, revealing, "I realised it was in my food after I chewed it for two or three seconds. As soon as I spat it out, I realised what the object was."

Paul expressed serious concerns about the potential dangers, stating, "It is dangerous to have a blade on any flight. Second, it could have cut through my tongue. Third, what if a child was eating this food."

 

The disgruntled passenger claimed that Air India subsequently contacted him a few days later, proposing a complimentary business class journey to any destination worldwide as restitution. However, he declined the offer, stating, "That is a bribe, and I don’t accept it."

In response to the incident, Air India, owned by the Tata Group, acknowledged the presence of a "foreign object" in the meal.

Rajesh Dogra, chief customer experience officer, addressed the issue, attributing it to a vegetable processing machine used by their catering partner. "We are working with them to strengthen safety measures," Dogra assured, emphasising enhanced checks on processing equipment, especially after handling hard vegetables.

Netizens react to the incident
 

While the airline issued an apology for the incident, it failed to impress netizens. "Now that's a cutting-edge dining experience," remarked one user. Another expressed concern: "Horror story! If you are not that attentive, it could have been a medical emergency!! Thank God you are fine."

Addressing a serious security concern, a user queried, "How did a blade end up in a passenger's food, passing through catering supply checks and anti-sabotage measures?"

Reflecting on their own encounter, another user recounted a recent Air India flight experience: "My child's meal on an international flight included a salad bowl with fungus. Clearly, there are food storage issues. I reported this to the air hostess on Flight AI 106 EWR to BOM."

Additional troubles involving Air India
 

Air India is under increasing scrutiny from passengers due to a string of in-flight issues. Dissatisfied travellers are voicing their grievances on social media, citing concerns over dirty cabins, malfunctioning entertainment systems, and substandard meals.

Earlier in the day, another passenger expressed his dissatisfaction on X, criticising Air India for his harrowing experience during his journey in a business class seat from New Delhi to Newark, New Jersey, United States.

He said that the flight was "no less than a nightmare" and that he had spent Rs 500 lakh for a round trip.

"Horror Story. After flying with Emirates for a few years, I recently moved to Air India as they offer direct flights to New York, Chicago, and London, which are my frequent travel destinations. Yesterday's flight was no less than a nightmare. Booked business class [office trip]. The seats were not clean, worn off, and of the 35 at least five seats were not functional. 25 minutes delayed takeoff," he said on X.

He mentioned that his seat couldn't be converted into a flatbed. Following this, he asked the crew for assistance, and within a few minutes, he was relocated to another seat.

"Woke up after a few hours, the food was served and it was uncooked [never faced this in Air India], the fruits were stale [everyone onboard returned back]. The TV screen never worked. Not that I would have watched, just tried and it showed 'Not Found' error. After all this, the final nail in the coffin is THEY BROKE MY LUGGAGE," he added.

 

Earlier in April, a musician accused the airline of mishandling his instruments during luggage loading. Just a month later, another passenger took to social media detailing a turbulent journey from New York to New Delhi, citing issues ranging from broken headphone jacks and scratched seats to malfunctioning sliding tables.

Adding to the airline's troubles, passengers aboard an Air India flight bound for San Francisco reportedly endured a distressing experience at Delhi airport in May. Following an eight-hour delay, passengers allegedly fainted amidst soaring temperatures exacerbated by a lack of air-conditioning on the flight, coinciding with the heatwave gripping the national capital.