How a passenger’s 23-year battle proved Air India’s negligence over contaminated food and won a compensation of Rs…

A passenger won a legal battle against Air India over contaminated food

A passenger won a legal battle against Air India that lasted just over twenty years. He complained to the airlines over the quality of food served to him. The food made him feel unwell, after which he served a legal notice to the airlines.

What was the case?

The passenger, P Sundarapariporanam, was traveling from Colombo to Chennai on an Air India flight on July 26, 2002, when he was served the food in which he found strands of hair. He then complained about this to the staff, who did not take his complaint seriously. He felt nauseous because of the food, which made his experience even more unpleasant.

After landing, Sundarapariporanam filed a formal complaint with the Deputy General Manager (Commercial) of Air India. The airline responded with great regret and assured a thorough investigation. Even after this assurance, he felt dissatisfied and later issued a legal notice through his lawyer, complaining that the incident made him so unwell that he vomited and had stomach pains. He then demanded compensation of Rs 11 lakh.

Air India’s defense and denial

Air India in its response admitted that the incident caused inconvenience to Sundarapariporanam, a frequent flyer, and that this was regrettable, but also argued in its defense that its claim for compensation was enormous. The airline also said that Ambassador Pallava, a five-star hotel in Chennai, managed the catering for the airlines, which was not mentioned in the legal notice and therefore was not part of the legal claim, preventing Air India from being held solely responsible. Air India also claimed that the hairs in the passenger’s food could have belonged to the passenger. The carrier added that even after the complaint, it had not returned the tray or sought medical attention, meaning the incident could not be investigated. It went on to say that the apology letter on their part was to empathize with his situation and was not an admission of their guilt.

What did the court say?

The Madras High Court, in its judgment dated October 10, 2025, agreed with the passenger’s argument that the airline could be blamed for not taking care of him. It was further stated that the airlines acknowledged the incident and thus it was their duty to prove that they had taken the required precautions. While setting aside the earlier compensation of Rs 1 lakh, the court decided to ask Air India to pay Rs 35,000, including court fees and legal fees, within four weeks. The judgment reinforced that passengers are entitled to basic service standards and accountability, regardless of the airline’s national status.