Air India Flight From Chicago To Delhi Returns After 10 Hours As Lavatories Get Clogged

An Air India flight travelling from Chicago to Delhi on Thursday was forced to turn back after approximately 10 hours in the air due to most of its lavatories becoming blocked and unusable.

According to View from the Wing, out of the 12 lavatories on board the Air India flight, 11 became clogged during the 14-hour journey, leaving only one operational lavatory in the business class.

The aircraft was carrying around 300 passengers at the time.

The issue arose approximately four and a half hours into the journey, when the flight was over Greenland. With the majority of lavatories out of service, the airline decided to return to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, leaving passengers far from their intended destination.

Air India's Response

Air India addressed the incident, describing the situation as a "technical issue." The airline confirmed that passengers were provided with accommodation upon arrival in Chicago, as reported by news agency ANI.

"AI126 operating Chicago to Delhi on 6 March 2025 air-returned to Chicago due to a technical issue. Upon landing at Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and have been provided with accommodation to minimise inconvenience," an Air India spokesperson stated.

Passengers were also given the option of a full refund or complimentary rescheduling, the spokesperson added.

"Alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to their destination. In addition, full refunds on cancellation and complimentary rescheduling are also being offered to passengers if opted by them. At Air India, the safety and well-being of our customers and crew remain top priority," the airline further stated.

Following the incident, the aircraft remained grounded at Chicago airport for two days to undergo maintenance and cleaning, View from the Wing reported.

According to a report by the New York Post, airline crews have the authority to decide whether to return a flight even if only one or two lavatories become unusable or blocked.