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The Madras High Court has directed Air India Limited to compensate a passenger with ₹35,000 after he suffered vomiting sensations and stomach pain from consuming a meal that contained a strand of hair . The ruling reinforces the principle that airlines are liable for negligence in services provided to passengers, even when outsourced to third-party caterers. Background of the Case The case arose when a passenger onboard an Air India flight consumed food supplied by the airline, only to find a hair follicle in the meal. The passenger experienced immediate nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain, and subsequently lodged a complaint upon landing. The trial court had earlier directed Air India to pay ₹1 lakh in damages for negligence. Air India appealed against this decision, arguing that the food was prepared by an external caterer — Ambassador Pallava Hotel — and that the airline itself could not be held directly responsible. Court’s Observations and Findings Justice P. B. Ba...

Introduction The ground-handling sector in India is witnessing rapid expansion in line with the country’s booming aviation market. Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS), a joint venture between Air India and Singapore-based SATS, currently manages nearly 70% of flights at key hubs . As the industry scales, AISATS has called for policy reforms that ensure fair competition based on flight volumes rather than passenger counts . Growth of the Ground-Handling Industry India’s ground-handling market was valued at $1.83 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% to reach $2.78 billion by 2031 . Major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad are undergoing significant infrastructure upgrades. Growth is being driven not only by higher volumes but also by service quality, digital adoption, and sustainability initiatives . AISATS’s Strategic Role and Global Leverage AISATS has experienced broad-based growth in passenger and cargo operations . The c...

🚨 Grave Concern Raised by Indian Diaspora Over Passport-Linked Repatriation Delays Airlines’ refusal to transport bodies without original passports creates humanitarian crisis Prominent Indian diaspora advocacy groups have made an urgent appeal to the Indian government, highlighting the growing humanitarian crisis faced by bereaved families attempting to repatriate mortal remains of their loved ones from abroad. The crux of the issue: airlines are refusing to transport remains unless the deceased’s original passport is presented—even when an Indian Embassy or Consulate has issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) .