New Delhi: A passenger’s decades-long legal fight against Air India finally ended in victory. P. Sundarapariporanam, who travelled from Colombo to Chennai on July 26, 2002, had complained that the food served to him during the flight contained strands of hair. The unpleasant discovery made him nauseous and unwell, and he claimed that the airline staff did not take his complaint seriously at the time.
When he landed, Sundarapariporanam filed a written complaint with Air India’s Deputy General Manager (Commercial). The airline expressed regret and said it would investigate. However, feeling unsatisfied, he later issued a legal notice through his lawyer, stating that the incident caused him vomiting and stomach pain, and sought Rs 11 lakh in compensation.
Air India’s Defence and Denial
Air India admitted that Sundarapariporanam was a frequent flyer and that the incident was regrettable but argued that his compensation demand was excessive. The airline said its catering was handled by Ambassador Pallava, a five-star hotel in Chennai, and since the caterer was not made part of the legal claim, Air India could not be held solely responsible.
The carrier even claimed that the hair could have belonged to the passenger himself. Air India also said the passenger neither returned the tray nor asked for medical help, making it difficult to verify the incident. It added that its apology letter was sent only as a polite gesture, not an admission of guilt.
Court’s Verdict: Airline Responsible
The Madras High Court, in its order on October 10, 2025, agreed with the passenger’s argument that the airline had failed in its duty of care. The court said Air India never denied that the incident took place and that the burden of proof lay with the airline to show it took proper precautions.
While setting aside the earlier Rs 1 lakh compensation, the court still ordered Air India to pay Rs 35,000, covering court and legal fees, within four weeks. The judgment reaffirmed that passengers have the right to basic service standards and accountability, even from national carriers.
