An Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi was forced to turn back after 10 hours in the air due to a severe toilet malfunction, leaving passengers on a trip to nowhere.
Flight AI126, which departed from O’Hare International Airport on March 5, had been flying over Greenland when 11 out of its 12 lavatories became inoperable, leaving nearly 300 passengers with access to only one toilet in the business class section, according to reports.
The issue arose just five hours into the scheduled 14-hour journey, prompting the airline to divert back to Chicago. Upon landing, passengers were disembarked normally, and Air India arranged accommodations to minimize inconvenience.
The airline assured travelers that alternative flight arrangements were being made and offered full refunds or complimentary rescheduling for those affected.
While Air India cited the incident as a technical issue, some passengers reported difficulties in rebooking their flights.
Aircraft lavatory malfunctions can sometimes lead to flight diversions, as limited toilet availability on long-haul flights poses a significant inconvenience and hygiene concern.
