Picture of lizard in flyer's meal tray goes viral; Air India denies

NEW DELHI: A picture of a lizard in the meal tray of a flyer purportedly on one of Air India’s flights was doing the rounds on social media, leaving the aviation minister fuming, but the airline has denied the incident.

The incident reportedly took place last Thursday in the Air India flight from Delhi to London. “This has reference to a report in the media, including on the social media, that a passenger had found a lizard in the meal tray on board AI-111 (Delhi-London) of 11 June, with photograph attached,” the airline said.

Air India has investigated the “incident” and has found it to be false and baseless, the airline said in a statement. No such complaint by any passenger has been received on board the flight or at the Air India office in London, it said.

Aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said the “issue” is serious and Air India was not expected to serve lizard to its passengers. “That’s also a serious thing. Air India is not expected to serve lizard neither the cooks are expected to cook lizards,” Raju told a TV channel.