Cockroach Scare On Air India Flight From San Francisco To Mumbai Prompts Cleanup And Apology
Cockroach Scare On Air India Flight From San Francisco To Mumbai Prompts Cleanup And Apology
Mumbai, August 4, 2025: An Air India flight (AI180) traveling from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata encountered an unusual mid-air situation when two passengers spotted cockroaches on board. The airline has since issued an official apology and launched an internal investigation into the incident.
According to Air India, the cockroaches were seen by two passengers mid-flight, following which the cabin crew promptly relocated them to alternative seats in the same cabin. The aircraft underwent a thorough cleaning during its scheduled stopover in Kolkata to address the complaint.
In a formal statement, the airline said, “On flight AI180, two passengers were unfortunately bothered by the presence of a few small cockroaches on board. Our cabin crew relocated them to other seats where they remained comfortable. A deep cleaning was carried out at the Kolkata stop to resolve the issue.”
This incident adds to a growing list of recent challenges faced by the Tata Group-owned airline, which has been under scrutiny for flight delays, technical issues, and safety violations. A DGCA audit earlier highlighted multiple lapses, adding to the pressure on Air India’s operations.
Notably, this comes just weeks after a June flight from Tokyo to Delhi was diverted to Kolkata due to extreme cabin temperatures. In another case, a burning smell forced an Air India flight from Mumbai to Chennai to return shortly after takeoff. Additionally, flight AI349 from Singapore to Chennai was cancelled on August 3 due to unresolved maintenance issues, and an Air India Express flight from Delhi to Jammu had to return mid-air because of a technical glitch.
Amid mounting complaints, Air India has stated it is working towards enhancing in-flight experience and operational safety across its fleet.
