Mid-air mishap: Hot curry spills on passenger, costs airline ₹25k

Mid-air mishap: Hot curry spills on passenger, costs airline ₹25k 

CONSUMER IS KING 

Vindhya.Pabolu@timesofindia.com 02.02.2026

Bengaluru : What should have been a peaceful flight from Bangkok to home in Bengaluru turned into a messy and painful shocker for a passenger. Moments after takeoff and high up in the air, a flight attendant accidentally spilled hot non-vegetarian curry on him. With the passenger taking the legal route, the III additional Bengaluru Urban district consumer disputes redressal commission recently held the airline vicariously liable and ordered payment of compensation. 

The saga began on March 5, 2024, when Sree Nayak (name changed), a resident of Konanakunte Cross, flew from Bangkok to Bengaluru with his wife and daughter, paying Rs 12,404 for himself and Rs 24,808 for his family. Trouble struck about 15 minutes after take-off when a flight attendant opened the overhead bin above his seat, causing a hot food packet to fall on him, spilling curry and other items. Naya k claimed the incident left him shocked, traumatised, and at risk, while his clothes were soiled.

As a vegetarian, he alleged extreme discomfort, including skin irritation and a major headache from the smell, lasting eight hours until he reached home. Unable to change clothes or bathe imme diately, he also faced embarrassment as co-passengers allegedly laughed. The food packet was reportedly stored by some other passenger. He further stated his branded T-shirt, jeans, jacket, shoes, and innerwear were irreparably stained, while his backpack, smartwatch, and mobile phone were damaged. According to Nayak, the airline admitted negligence over phone and email, and offered him a Rs 5,000 travel voucher, which he deemed inadequate given the discomfort he had endured. Seeking a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for mental harassment and other losses, he filed a consumer complaint on July 5, 2025. 

IndiGo’s defence 

In its defence, IndiGo, represented by its manager, denied any deficiency in service, arguing that under consumer law, a deficiency arises only when there is a shortcoming or inadequacy in the quality, nature, or manner of service mandated by the law or contract. To support its stand, the airline cited a past in-flight incident in which a meal container accidentally slipped from an overhead bin shortly after take-off while cabin crew was on routine duty. The airline maintained the incident was unintentional and unforeseen. It said the crew responded promptly by apologising, relocating the passenger to a first-row seat, assisting in cleaning his clothes, and providing wet tissues. 

Referring to the present case, IndiGo said its customer experience team contacted the complainant on March 9, 2024, but he later sought compensation of Rs 5 lakh, which it termed illegal and exorbitant. Saying that as a goodwill gesture, it had repeatedly offered a Rs 5,000 travel voucher — which was declined — the airline urged the commission to dismiss the complaint. 

After examining the records and hearing both sides, the commission held that opening an overhead bin after take-off, resulting in a hot meal falling on a passenger, amounted to a clear lapse in service. It observed that airlines are at fault if loose or hot items are stored in a manner that endangers passengers. However, the commission noted that Nayak had failed to produce credible evidence to substantiate claims of medical expenses or irreparable damage to his clothes. The commission bench, comprising president Shivarama K and members Chandrashekar S Noola and Rekha Sayannavar, on Dec 12, 2025, ordered IndiGo to pay the complainant Rs 20,000 as compensation an d Rs 5,000 as litigation costs.