A picture of a cockroach on a plate in Air India's Dehli Airport lounge for business and first-class passengers has prompted a social media backlash and apologies from the airline. Harinder Baweja, a journalist with the Hindustan Times, tweeted a picture which appeared to show a cockroach on a dirty plate she says was in the Dehli lounge.

"Dear @airindiain cockroaches on food plates at your Delhi Lounge for biz and first class passengers. Disgusting," she wrote.

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In their first reply, Air India wrote: "We are sorry to hear this, Ms. Harinder. Sharing your feedback with our Airport team to get it checked." A short while later, the airline again replied saying: "Ma'am we have alerted the agency managing lounge at T3. Necessary corrective measures are being taken immediately. We deeply apologise for this incident."

Some users joked that it was a non-vegetarian meal, while one quipped to Baweja: "Are you suggesting that cockroaches are okay for economy class passengers?" She replied: "Certainly not. Wish air india had a lounge for economy too !"

This is not the first time Air India has come under fire for a cockroach related social media sensation. In November 2016, a passenger tweeted a picture of what appeared to be a dead cockroach in his in-flight meal.

"@airindiain now serves cockroach for vegetarian meals on AI127," Rahul Raghuvanshi wrote with the picture, along with the hashtags #sicktomystomach #traumatized and #cockroachinfood. Air India again apologised for the incident, saying they have a "zero tolerance policy in this respect" and adding that "[o]bligatory action is taking place".