An international flight was forced to return to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport last week after the majority of the airplane’s toilets became clogged mid-flight.
Air India said a flight from Chicago to Delhi was disrupted when eight of the 12 lavatories on the plane, a Boeing 777, were rendered “unserviceable, causing discomfort to all on board.” The crew became aware of the initial clogs about two hours into the flight but subsequently found additional issues.
They attempted to continue the trip but, due to restrictions on night operations at many European airports, ultimately decided to turn around near Greenland and fly back to Chicago, after spending about 10 hours in the air, according to BBC News.
Clothing and other items were later found to have been flushed down a toilet, becoming “stuck in the plumbing” and making several other bathrooms unusable.
“We would like to confirm that as part of our investigation into the incident, our teams found [plastic] bags, rags and clothes that had been flushed down and stuck in the plumbing. This led the lavatories to become unserviceable,” an airline spokesperson said. “The decision to divert was taken entirely in the interest of passenger comfort and safety.”
All passengers were provided hotel rooms and new flight options after returning to Chicago.
