Social media is abuzz after a video went viral on Instagram showing two men serving tea in disposable cups while walking down the aisle of an IndiGo flight. The duo appeared to mimic the style commonly associated with the Indian train service, using a bottle to pour the tea, with one of the men tending to a seated female passenger.

Here is the video:

The video quickly gained traction, racking up more than 600,000 views and prompting a flurry of comments ranging from humor to criticism. One onlooker humorously suggested, “There will be mung phali wala chaat masala soon,” alluding to vendors selling snacks on trains.

Conversely, other users expressed concern about the appropriateness of the situation, with one stating: “Aviation has become a joke in India…Gone are the good old days of Jet Airways… No Bakwas…. Totally Professional”.

Echoing a similar sentiment, a second user commented: “This is why foreigners talk bad about India… please behave.”

The incident has raised questions about the airline’s application of flight regulations. One commenter pointed out a security discrepancy: “I wonder how they got the tea through security? Security doesn’t allow 200 water – this guy had like 1 liter of tea!”

Amid mixed reactions, another user praised the men’s actions, describing it as “pure Rajasthani hospitality”, noting that one of the men even promised: “I won’t ask for money unless you offer what you want . THIS IS SO COOL.”

This incident adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding airlines in India and has sparked discussions on social media about passenger safety, professionalism and service standards. IndiGo, in particular, has faced scrutiny due to recent incidents involving interactions with both staff and passengers.

In a related high-profile case, Trisha Shetty, founder of SheSays, accused IndiGo staff of being unhelpful after her mother was “stolen” during a flight. According to Shetty’s social media post, the crew had placed her mother’s handbag in the overhead compartment while she was sleeping.

A fellow passenger allegedly took the bag but returned it after being confronted. Shetty slammed the airline staff for their lack of assistance in lodging a complaint, stating, “Dear IndiGo, my mother was robbed on your flight 6E 17. The flight crew kept her hand bag at the top. When she fell asleep, a passenger took her bag. Luckily, she woke up when he was replacing her bag. Your crew refused to help her a complaint. They gave excuses to the thief.”