After bed bugs slur hits Air India, carrier scrambles to overhaul jet's insides

After facing criticism over a complaint of bed bugs in business class seats on non-stop flight from US to India, Air India has broken its silence and said it was deeply concerned with the reports of bed bugs.  Air India in a statement said experts have carried out extensive service on the aircraft from fumigation to overhaul of the upholstery, seat covers and carpets. The national carrier said that the issue has been viewed seriously and every possible step is being taken to ensure that such incidents do not occur again, TOI reported.

Even as Air India calls it “isolated incidents” in the past one week, three different cases of business class passengers on board Newark-Mumbai flights severely bitten by bed bugs surfaced on social media. Bug affected passenger Pravin Tonsekar along with his spouse and two daughters was coming on the 14-hour flight last Monday from Newark. 

“Four hours into the flight, my younger daughter complained about bites. When my elder daughter, seated next to her, switched on the lights, we saw bed bugs on the seat, Tonsekar was quoted as saying. 

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Tonsekar said his younger daughter (12) had suffered numerous bites and the cabin crew didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. The girls were moved to economy class since the business class and first class were full.