A woman has alleged that poor hygiene onboard an Akasa Air flight left her with serious health issues, prompting a response from the airline. The woman, identified as Jahanvi Tripathi, shared her experience on LinkedIn, claiming her journey turned distressing due to unhygienic seating conditions inside the aircraft.
According to her post, Tripathi was traveling with friends on an Akasa Air flight from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad on December 26, which departed at 10:25 pm. She said she had expected a routine and comfortable journey.
However, she claimed the condition of the seats caused severe discomfort during the flight and led to health issues afterwards.
“The unhygienic condition of the seats was extremely concerning and unacceptable. This issue not only caused severe discomfort during the flight but also led to physical distress afterward, which ultimately ruined my entire trip,” a part of the woman’s post on LinkedIn read.
What health issues did she claim to have developed?
Tripathi further alleged that shortly after the flight, she developed a severe fungal infection on her legs, which worsened over time.
She claimed the condition left her unable to walk properly, sleep comfortably, or carry out daily activities.
“I am currently undergoing medical treatment, and the suffering has been both physically and emotionally exhausting,” she wrote.
In her post, the woman raised serious concerns about hygiene and sanitation standards on the flight. She suggested that the infection may have developed due to unclean seating, cabin conditions, or overall sanitation during the journey.
She urged Akasa Air to investigate the issue, issue a clear response, and explain the corrective steps taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
How did Akasa Air respond?
Responding to the allegations, Akasa Air expressed regret over her experience and said the matter was being reviewed.
“We sincerely regret the experience…This is certainly not the standard we strive for, as we remain committed to maintaining the highest levels of hygiene and customer well-being. Your feedback has been shared for immediate review and we will reach out to you at the earliest,” the airline said.
Here’s how social media users reacted:
The incident has triggered mixed reactions on social media.
One user wrote, “This looks like a severe infection. The seats and entire cabin needs a thorough inspection.”
However, several others defended the airline and questioned the claim that the infection was caused by the aircraft.
“How can you be sure that you got the infection from the aircraft and not the cab or any other non-conveyance reason. I am completely empathetic towards your issue and possibly low hygiene at your seat. Still, I would say defaming is easy, investigating the real cause is tough,” a comment read.
Another user pointed out the aircraft’s air filtration systems, saying, “Plane air is actually pretty clean thanks to those HEPA filters, and they swap out the air super fast, so there’s not much floating around, spores included. Plus, cabins are super dry, which fungi hate, they love warm, moist spots, and planes are basically the opposite.”
