Polybags clogged toilets: Why Air India flight returned to Chicago

Days after its Delhi-bound aircraft returned to Chicago due to unserviceable lavatories, Air India on Monday said its probe found that polythene bags, rags, and clothes had been flushed down and were stuck in the plumbing.

On March 6, AI126 from Chicago to Delhi returned to the United States city after being airborne for more than 10 hours and on that day, the airline said the air return was due to a technical issue.

The same day, a source aware of the development told PTI that the aircraft had to return, as many of the lavatories were clogged.

In a detailed statement on the air return of AI126, Air India on Monday said that about an hour and forty-five minutes into the flight, the crew reported some of the lavatories in Business and Economy Class to be unserviceable.

'Subsequently, eight of the 12 lavatories in the aircraft became unserviceable, causing discomfort to all on board,' the statement said.

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 of the European airports, it was decided to divert back to Chicago, Air India said and added that the decision to divert was taken entirely in the interest of passenger comfort and safety.

'We are aware of some social media posts about the unserviceable lavatories on AI126 operating from Chicago to Delhi on 05 March 2025 that caused the flight's diversion back to its origin, Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

"We would like to confirm that as part of our investigation into the incident, 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 statement said.

On March 6, Air India said the AI126 air returned due to a 'technical issue'.

Air India also urged passengers to use 'lavatories only for the purposes that they are meant for' and mentioned that previously, its teams had found objects like blankets, innerwear, and diapers, among other waste, having been flushed down the toilets on other flights.

According to information available on the flight tracking website flightradar24.com, the flight was operated with a Boeing 777-337 ER aircraft and returned to Chicago airport after being airborne for over ten hours on March 6.