Mid-air hygiene scare on San Francisco–Mumbai Air India flight as passengers spot cockroaches

After cockroaches were spotted, affected passengers were shifted to different seats. Representation pic/istock

In a mid-air hygiene lapse, two passengers on an Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata discovered cockroaches around their seats in the early hours of August 4.

The flight, AI180, a Boeing 777-200LR (twin-jet), was operating one of the airline's ultra-long-haul services. After the cockroaches were spotted, the affected passengers were shifted to different seats in the same cabin and continued their journey. The flight made a scheduled refuelling halt in Kolkata, where, according to the airline, a deep-cleaning process was carried out to address the insect issue.

An Air India spokesperson said, "Despite our regular fumigation efforts, insects can sometimes enter an aircraft during ground operations." Calling the incident unfortunate, the spokesperson added, "Air India will be undertaking a comprehensive investigation to determine the source and cause of the issue and will implement measures to prevent recurrence. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to the passengers."