How a mid-air ‘hot curry’ incident led man to win ₹25,000 compensation

A routine flight from Bangkok to Bengaluru turned chaotic for a man when hot curry spilled on him accidentally, causing discomfort and embarrassment.

What was supposed to be a calm flight home from Bangkok to Bengaluru turned into an upsetting experience for a passenger when a hot food item reportedly spilled on him, leaving him shocked and uncomfortable mid-air.

The airline's response said it was an accident and not intentional. (AI generated image/For representation purposes only)

The incident happened on March 5, 2024, when Sree Nayak (name changed) was travelling with his wife and daughter. About 15 minutes after the flight took off, a cabin crew member opened the overhead luggage bin above his seat. Suddenly, a packet of hot non-vegetarian curry fell down and spilled on him, The Times of India reported.

Nayak said the hot curry soaked his clothes and caused skin irritation. As a vegetarian, he also felt sick and uncomfortable due to the smell, which lasted for hours until he reached home. He said he could not change clothes or clean up properly during the flight and felt embarrassed as other passengers laughed. His clothes were badly stained, and he reportedly claimed that his bag and electronic items were damaged too.

Later, Nayak said the airline admitted the mistake over calls and emails and offered him a ₹5,000 travel voucher. He felt that this was not enough and approached the consumer court, asking for ₹5 lakh as compensation for mental stress and losses.

The airline argued that the incident was an accident and not intentional. It said the crew apologised, helped clean his clothes, and moved him to a better seat. The airline also said the compensation demand was too high.

After hearing both sides, the consumer court said the airline was responsible. It ruled that opening an overhead bin after take-off without ensuring safety was a service lapse. However, the court also noted that the passenger could not prove medical bills or major damage to his belongings.

On December 12, 2025, the court ordered the airline to pay ₹20,000 as compensation and ₹5,000 towards legal costs, the report noted.