AI-130 began to feel unwell soon after take-off. It wasn’t one or two, but eventually, a total of seven people, five passengers and two crew showed symptoms of dizziness and nausea, according to sources familiar with the matter.The flight, operated on a Boeing 777, continued its journey to Mumbai, where it landed safely. Medical teams were waiting on the ground.

Air India officially confirmed, “On board flight AI-130 from London Heathrow to Mumbai, five passengers and two crew reported feeling dizzy and nauseous during different phases of the flight.” The airline added, “The flight landed safely in Mumbai where our medical teams were ready to provide immediate medical assistance. After landing, two passengers and two cabin crew, who continued to feel unwell, were taken to the medical room for further examination and were later discharged. We are investigating the incident and have duly notified the regulator.”

The airline did not confirm the total number of affected crew, but insiders said at least six cabin staff experienced similar symptoms.The cause is still under investigation, but one possibility has already been ruled out. A senior airline source said there was no sign of cabin depressurisation.

“If there had been a drop in cabin pressure, the oxygen masks would have automatically deployed,” the source explained. “So, drop in cabin pressurisation is not likely to be the cause.”Instead, food poisoning appears to be a likely explanation. Affected individuals complained of nausea and dizziness—classic symptoms of contaminated food.The source also clarified why the pilots were unaffected. “Pilots get their meal after the passengers have been served. They get the same food as the passengers. Earlier, the commander and the first officer would get separate meal trays, which came from two different kitchens. Serving pilots meals from different kitchens is a proactive safety measure grounded in aviation risk management. It ensures that a single point of failure in catering does not compromise both pilots, preserving flight safety through crew redundancy.”

Air India has launched a formal internal probe and alerted the aviation regulator.

While passengers were still recovering in Mumbai, a different Air India flight faced trouble in the skies above Delhi. Air India Express flight IX2564, en route to Jammu from Delhi, was forced to turn back mid-air due to a suspected GPS interference issue.

The Airbus A320 had departed Delhi at 11:04 AM and was expected to reach Jammu by 12:05 PM. However, the aircraft returned to the national capital and landed safely, according to tracking service Flightradar24.

The airline quickly arranged an alternative aircraft to complete the journey.

In a revised statement, an Air India Express spokesperson said, “Our Delhi-Jammu flight returned to Delhi as a precautionary measure following a suspected GPS interference incident. Subsequently, an alternative flight was organised to connect guests to Jammu. We regret the inconvenience caused. Instances of GPS signal interference have been reported by operators while flying over certain sensitive regions.”

As of now, there is no official link between the GPS interference and the medical complaints on the London–Mumbai flight. But both have added pressure on the airline to explain and act swiftly.

Passengers on board the London–Mumbai flight have been discharged, and the Delhi–Jammu service resumed with a replacement aircraft. Air India says both matters remain under investigation.