Cockroaches found on Air India San Francisco-Mumbai flight, probe ordered
Cockroaches were found on an Air India plane flying from San Francisco to Mumbai. Two passengers complained about the insects near their seats and the crew immediately moved them to another seat, the airlines said in a statement. The plane was cleaned thoroughly during its stopover in Kolkata and then flew to its final destination, Mumbai.
New Delhi: Cockroaches were found onboard Air India San Francisco-Mumbai flight. Two passengers on the plane complained to the crew regarding the presence of the insects near their seats.
Seats of both passengers changed: Air India
Air India said that when the passengers complained of the presence of small cockroaches, their seats were immediately changed. The passengers complained of discomfort and the crew acted promptly to make them comfortable.
The airlines further said that during the stopover in Kolkata, the flight was cleaned thoroughly by the ground staff. The airlines statement read, "The same aircraft subsequently departed in time for Mumbai. Despite our regular fumigation efforts, insects can sometimes enter an aircraft during ground operations. 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."
Talking about the reason why insects were inside the aircraft, Air India said, "Despite our regular fumigation efforts, insects can sometimes enter an aircraft during ground operations." The reason given surely trivialised the matter.
An investigation has been ordered in the matter. The airlines said that they were trying to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future.
Air India has been in the news for all the wrong reasons for some time now. Sometimes it is complaints about clogged toilets, while at other times it is some passenger misbehaving with the crew or other passengers. Aviation regulator DGCA has often been forced into ordering enquiries into several incidents reported from onboard airplanes.