Baby rats on Arkia flight prompt accusatory battle between airline, catering company

An incident involving baby rats discovered in a service cart aboard an Arkia flight traveling from Greece to Israel has led to a public dispute between the airline and its catering provider, TMM.

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Arkia views the incident seriously, demands that TMM conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the case, and expects to receive full explanations along with corrective steps to ensure that an incident of this kind does not recur in the future.

Footage of the discovery circulated on social media, prompting reactions and an exchange of blame. Arkia stated that the cart originated from TMM's dry-goods storage and did not contain food for passengers. The airline asserted that the cart was immediately removed from service and had no contact with served food, emphasizing that TMM must conduct a "comprehensive and thorough investigation."

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any attempt to cast doubt on the TMM facility, which supplies hundreds of thousands of meals per month and operates under the strictest food safety standards, is unacceptable and will, if necessary, be addressed in court.

However, TMM rejected Arkia's claims, asserting that the cart, containing only soft drinks, was inspected and approved by both Arkia and TMM representatives before departure. The catering company stated that the airline is responsible for checking carts before use and threatened legal action against any attempt to damage its reputation, noting its operation under strict food safety standards.

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The trolley in question, which contained soft drinks only, was inspected as on every flight by an Arkia crew member and a representative of the catering facility, who confirmed that the trolley was fully compliant when it was loaded. The incident was discovered later, while the aircraft was parked in Greece.

TMM urged Arkia to conduct its own "urgent and in-depth investigation" to determine how the incident occurred on the aircraft. The situation remains under review.

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conduct an urgent and in-depth investigation to determine how such a serious incident occurred on its aircraft.