Air India denies report of lizard in passenger's in-flight meal

Air India has denied reports of a lizard found in a passenger's in-flight meal after a photo emerged on social media.

The photo was allegedly taken on board a flight from Delhi to London Heathrow.

The airline responded to the picture of a lizard on a meal tray on Twitter and wrote: "#Clarification #Denial #Air India would like to clarify that the news on Twitter & elsewhere regarding a "lizard in meal tray".

"On board AI 111 DEL-LHR of 11th June, is #false & #baseless.

"No such complaint has been received from any passenger on board the flight or at Air India office in LHR."

But a source told The Times of India: "A flight attendant got the said meal from the galley and soon after it was placed on to the tray, the passenger was heard screaming.

"The passenger was very upset and said that he would lodge a complaint with the airline on landing."

According to the BBC, civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju also dismissed the claim and said that no-one had come forward to say they took the photo.

In 2011, a woman found a beetle larva in a Jetstar in-flight meal and was told to apply online for a refund.

Serena Chan was about to tuck into a seafood nasi lemak on a flight from Singapore to Australia when she got a side dish she hadn't asked for: beetle larva.

The 28-year-old found what she thought was a maggot, but after examining photos she supplied, a university research assistant identified it as a 1cm beetle larva.

Serena claims she was told she would have to apply online for a refund and was offered a replacement meal.

After another complaint, she eventually received a refund, but it was the thought of more contaminated meals that prompted her to contact Jetstar headquarters the next day.

She told news.com.au: "I was told I had to wait five to 10 days for a response. I didn't think that was good enough and emailed them and Jetstar Asia contacted me, wanting me to email the picture."

The airline apologised and said: "Obviously this is an incident which has to do with our caterers."