‘Ruined my trip’: Woman claims fungal infection after Akasa Air travel, airline responds

AAdult female on midweek alleged that her see on an Akasa broadcast flight of stairs left her with serious health issues due to poor onboard hygiene. The airline also responded to the allegation, saying her feedback was under review and they would get in touch with her.The woman, identified as Jahanvi Tripathi, took to LinkedIn to share her experience. She said she was travelling with friends on an Akasa Air flight from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad on December 26, departing at 10:25 pm, expecting a routine and comfortable journey.However, the experience quickly turned distressing because of what she described as unhygienic seat conditions inside the aircraft. “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.ALSO READ | Dutch woman praises Bengaluru airport, says it feels like ‘stepping into the future’She also said that here friends faced similar issues, making it a shared negative experience.The woman further alleged that shortly after her travel, she developed a severe fungal infection on her legs, which progressively worsened and 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.ALSO READ | Customs issues high alert as fraudsters pose as officials at Bengaluru airportIn her post, she also raised serious concerns about hygiene and sanitation standards onboard the flight, suggesting that the infection may have developed due to unclean seating, cabin conditions or overall sanitation during the journey.She further urged Akasa Air to investigate the matter, issue a clear response, and explain the corrective steps taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.ALSO READ | Bengaluru wakes up to fog as cold weather conditions intensify; flight ops hitResponding to the allegations, Akasa Air said, “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 incident has sparked online discussion, with a user writing, “This looks like a severe infection. The seats and entire cabin needs a thorough inspection.”However, several others defended the airline and expressed scepticism at the woman's allegations, with a comment stating, “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.”“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,” another reaction said.