Air India Passenger Complains of Theft on Flight After Luggage Lock was Broken and Cash Stolen

• An Air India passenger reported that his luggage was tampered with and shared how much was stolen during his return journey from Singapore to Chandigarh via Delhi
• Sahil discovered the theft upon arriving at Chandigarh airport, where one of his bags had its lock broken
• After the passenger complained on social media, Air India responded to the complaints, sparking outrage from the passenger

An Air India passenger, Sahil Juneja, complained of theft after his luggage was tampered with and valuables were stolen.

He alleged that while returning from Singapore to Chandigarh via Delhi, his bag’s number lock was broken, resulting in Rs 70,000 of cash (N1.25m) getting stolen.

As reported by the Indian Express, Sahil stated in a police complaint that he and his family had travelled from Singapore to Delhi, carrying three luggage bags, all in perfect condition.

For their onward journey from Delhi to Chandigarh, they boarded another Air India flight. However, upon landing at Chandigarh airport at 4:55 am on June 30, Sahil discovered that Rs 70,000 in cash had been stolen from one of their bags.

Air India passenger complains on social media

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Sahil tagged accounts of Air India, Delhi Airport, and Air India Chandigarh.

He said:

“I trusted the airline with my belongings — that trust is now shattered. Where is the accountability?”.

The complainant also claimed that he was not the only victim. Other passengers, including a woman travelling from New York to Chandigarh, reported broken suitcase zips and missing items like perfumes and personal belongings.

In its response, Air India tweeted on X :

“Valuable items such as cash and jewelry should be kept in hand baggage as per our guidelines”.

Sahil responded:

“But did you mention on your site that if we keep our valuables in our luggage, Air India staff have a right to break the locks intentionally and check our luggage and can steal things? You should mention these things in your site as well then. Should we travel empty-handed now? Because nothing is secure there.”

Sahil has filed a formal written complaint at the Mohali Airport Police Station demanding a full investigation and recovery of the stolen cash, along with strict action against the responsible staff.

Recent Air India activities spark safety concerns

The theft allegations happened days after there was a health scare on Air India flight AI 130 from London to Mumbai on June 23, 2025.

Five passengers and two crew members on the flight fell ill. The affected individuals experienced dizziness and nausea, and one crew member collapsed during the flight.

These occurrences were recorded after an Air India plane crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, 2025, leading to the death of 229 passengers and 12 crew members.

Burning smell causes Air India flight to return

In a related story, an Air India Flight AI 639 from Mumbai to Chennai made an unexpected return to Mumbai Airport after a burning smell was detected in the cabin.

The precautionary return occurred after the burning smell was noticed on Friday, and the plane landed safely at the airport.

A passenger on the flight shared details about the return, as authorities shared what happened after the flight returned to the airport.

Source: Legit.ng