Cabin crew members on a SunExpress flight received the shock of their lives when they discovered a snake head in their in-flight meal.
The incident took place on board a SunExpress flight from Ankara to Düsseldorf. Video footage of the shocking discovery is now being circulated on social media.
"Snake Salad! Snake head found in the food given to the flight crew on a SunExpress Ankara-Düsseldorf flight," reads the caption of the Twitter post, which shows what appears to be a decapitated snake head in the meal. Watch the shocking video below:
Airline Issues Statements
In the wake of the shocking discovery, the Turkey-based airline, co-owned by Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, issued the following statement:
"It is our top priority that the services we provide to our guests on our aircraft are of the highest quality and that both our guests and employees have a comfortable and safe flight experience. The allegations and shares in the press regarding in-flight food service are absolutely unacceptable and a detailed investigation has been initiated on the subject. Until the research process in question is concluded, all preventative measures and actions, including stopping the supply of the relevant product, have been taken."
Caterer Claims the Snake Head Could Not Have Come from Their Kitchen
Sancak, a company that has been providing catering service to the airline since 2018, issued a statement to address the incident.
"We asked for samples but we haven't received any samples. We are a large company serving all domestic and foreign airlines since 1994. We have been providing catering services to SunExpress company since 2018. This is the first time we have encountered such an event. For the last month there has been talk about problems such as snails and insects and finally the snake went up to his head," said in a statement obtained by SimpleFlying.
"We think this issue is not about us and our legal department is looking into this matter. We don't think it is from us, but we are mentioned and we are very sorry," the statement continued.
Sancak also said that the snake's head could not have come from the company's kitchen because meals are cooked at 280 degrees Celsius (around 536° Fahrenheit). Responding to previous cabin crew complaints of beetles and snails in food, Sancak said: "SunExpress is a valuable client in our country and a popular airline in Europe. We did not use any of the foreign objects that were supposedly in the food when cooking due to the technical and thermal conditions used in the in-flight catering facilities."
