Indigo And Cockroaches: A Delightful Combo To Welcome Passengers On The Flights!

A journalist updated a video on social media showing cockroaches crawling through the meal area of an IndiGo airline. Tarun Shukla’s frightening footage has raised worries about the airline’s cleanliness standards, leading IndiGo to take quick steps to solve the matter. 

A journalist updated a video on social media showing cockroaches crawling through the meal area of an IndiGo airline. Tarun Shukla’s frightening footage has raised worries about the airline’s cleanliness standards, leading IndiGo to take quick steps to solve the matter.  He also posted IndiGo’s response in the same thread. He stated that the budget airline was aware of the unclean conditions and immediately cleaned the entire fleet and conducted fumigation and disinfection processes.

Indigo and Insects: An Interesting History.

This is not the first time IndiGo has encountered similar sanitary difficulties. Indigo has a long history of offering different forms of organisms with their so-called hospitality services. It ranges from worms, cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes and whatnot! Here are recent 5 incidents that depict how Indigo gives a warm welcome to the passengers and the cockroaches(and worms).

On December 29, 2023, a woman travelling on an IndiGo flight from New Delhi to Mumbai was shocked to find a worm crawling on the vegetarian sandwich that was served on board. Kushboo Gupta, a dietician and mindful eating coach, shared an Instagram video of the sandwich, mentioning her distress on the morning flight. Gupta stated that she told the flight attendant that other passengers would be aware of the contamination and either avoid eating the sandwich or consume it cautiously. However, she said that the flight attendant ignored her complaint and continued to serve the sandwiches to other customers.

In the caption, Gupta said she would file an official complaint soon. As a public health specialist, she was startled that despite being notified of the problem, the flight attendant continued to serve the sandwiches to other passengers, including children and the elderly. Gupta inquired as to who would be held liable if anyone became infected.

Sliding down the calendar, in April 2023, a customer posted a video of a cockroach crawling across their table while eating a meal on Indigo’s Mumbai-Bhubaneswar flight.

Similarly, in October 2022, another customer noticed a cockroach on a trip from Patna to Delhi, raising concerns about the airline’s pest control procedures.

In 2020, the Pune District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum ordered IndiGo Airlines to return the ticket price, plus an additional Rs 50,000 compensation, to two passengers who experienced distress while travelling to Delhi from Pune. While travelling, they noticed a cockroach under their seat. They contacted the airline official and sought quick fumigation. However, the airline official declined their request and directed them to submit a complaint by SMS or email rather than addressing the sanitation issue.

After disembarking from the flight, the passengers filed complaints at the airline’s Delhi office. The passengers showed them photos of the insect. However, the airline did not solve the issue, causing them to submit a complaint to the Consumer Forum.

According to passengers, airline personnel informed them that finding a cockroach under their seat is not a significant violation. Wow! Indigo has incredible audacity.

In 2017, The Times of India reported that a passenger named Jagdeesh Mahajan took to social media to inform that they saw a cockroach crawling from the overhead panel in Indigo’s Mumbai-Chennai flight 6E229.

These persistent problems highlight how difficult it is for airlines to uphold strict sanitation and cleanliness standards, especially in a sector where travel schedules are sometimes hectic. These events point to the need for more stringent and consistent safeguards, even if IndiGo has assured that it adheres to the strictest hygienic standards.

How are these incidents tarnishing Indigo’s reputation and serve as a reminder for the aircraft carrier to be more conscious?

Such instances have consequences that go beyond the public’s and passengers’ first outcry of disapproval. They act as a reminder to the whole airline sector to review and fortify their hygienic practices. In addition to compromising the health and safety of travellers, the presence of cockroaches and other pests damages the airline’s brand. It may result in a decline in revenue and customer trust. It is impossible to exaggerate the significance of keeping things immaculate in an age where social media may spread a single bad experience to a large audience.

IndiGo, one of the four major aviation companies, had the lowest passenger load factor (88.4%) in January of this year, behind  Vistara Airlines (94.2%), SpiceJet (93.7%), and Akasa Air (92.4%). This indicates that passengers are turning away from the airline, which was founded by Indian-American businessman Rakesh Gangwal, splendidly.

IndiGo is a repeat offender that has continuously stirred up controversy by abusing passengers, occasionally breaking queues, or even making genuine errors like showing up at the boarding gate a minute late even though they have completed their security clearance. “Their business strategy relies on deceiving customers into believing they are getting a good deal through false pretences,” stated Aakash, an Infosys multimedia programmer who just moved from IndiGo to Vistara Airlines.

IndiGo has reaffirmed its commitment to passenger safety in response to the outrage, highlighting the steps taken to avoid similar incidents in the future. But it’s evident that ongoing oversight, upkeep, and enhancement of these standards are crucial as the airline sector grapples with the difficulties of upholding strict hygienic standards. The episode serves as a reminder that constant watchfulness against such unpleasant surprises is necessary to pursue a secure and enjoyable travel experience.