An Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi was forced to return to Chicago after most of the lavatories became clogged and inoperable. On Monday, the airline reported that teams found polythene bags, rags, and clothes had been flushed down and stuck in the plumbing.
This issue caused eight of the 12 lavatories on AI126, operating from Chicago to Delhi on March 5, to become unserviceable, the airline said in a statement. “We fully empathize with passengers who faced discomfort and whose travel plans were affected by the flight’s diversion,” the airline added.
The flight had crossed over Greenland when the airline decided to head back to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport after travelers reported the toilet issues. About an hour and forty-five minutes into the flight, the crew reported that some lavatories in Business and Economy Class were unserviceable.
“Our teams found polythene bags, rags, and clothes that had been flushed down and stuck in the plumbing. This led the lavatories to become unserviceable,” the airline stated.
Subsequently, eight of the 12 lavatories in the aircraft became unserviceable, causing discomfort to all on board. “By this time, the aircraft was overflying the Atlantic, leaving points in Europe as potential cities to divert to. However, due to restrictions on night operations at most European airports, it was decided to divert back to Chicago,” the airline added.
Upon landing in Chicago, all passengers were provided immediate assistance, including hotel accommodation and alternative flight options to continue their journey to Delhi. “While not found on AI126 of March 5, 2025, our teams have previously also found objects such as blankets, innerwear, and diapers, among other waste, having been flushed down the toilets on other flights,” said Air India.
“We urge passengers to use lavatories only for the purposes that they are meant for,” an Air India spokesperson added.
In a related incident, a Mumbai-New York flight of Air India, with 322 people on board, returned from Azerbaijan skies eight hours after take-off on Monday due to a bomb threat, which was later found to be a hoax. The security alert was sounded after a bomb threat was found written on a paper in one of the plane’s lavatories, said a security official.
After a safe landing in Mumbai, the aircraft underwent mandatory checks by security agencies, which, after a thorough investigation, declared the threat to be a hoax, said an official.
