March 10, 2025: Chicago/New Delhi – Air India flight AI126 from Chicago to Delhi had to return to its departure point on March 6 due to several toilets getting blocked. Initially blamed on a technical problem, investigation later found that foreign material such as polythene bags, rags and clothes had jammed the plane’s plumbing system.
Air India flight AI126 crisis: Toilets unusable
About an hour and forty-five minutes into the flight, the crew of AI126 realised that some of the toilets in the business and economy class were becoming unusable. Eight of the twelve toilets on the plane soon stopped working, causing passengers to panic.
As the plane was flying over the Atlantic, European airports were considered for an emergency landing. But since most European airports have night operations restrictions, the airline opted to fly back to Chicago for the convenience and safety of passengers.
Air India official statement
Following growing speculation on social media, Air India released a detailed statement confirming the reason behind the problem.
“During our investigation, it was revealed that polythene bags, rags and clothes were thrown in the toilets, resulting in severe pipeline jams. This caused the toilets to malfunction, causing a lot of inconvenience to passengers,” the airline said.
Passengers requested to follow toilet rules
The airline urged passengers to use the toilets responsibly. It also pointed to past instances in which blankets, innerwear and diapers were not thrown in the toilets as required, resulting in similar problems.
“We request our passengers to use the toilets only for their intended use, to avoid such blockages in the future,” Air India stressed.
Operational and Passenger Impact
The passengers of AI126 were looked after in hotels and were later rebooked on other flights. The airline apologised for the inconvenience and reassured passengers about ongoing improvements in aircraft maintenance and awareness drives to avoid such incidents.
This episode highlights the need for responsible behaviour while flying. In their efforts to provide a smooth travel experience, cooperation of passengers is essential to ensure aircraft hygiene and operational smoothness.
Follow us for more aviation updates and travel alerts. For exclusive news and reports, visit our The Chandigarh News portal.
More Stories
Champions Trophy celebrations turn violent in Mhow and Gandhinagar; 24 detained
Indiscipline in SAD Won’t Be Tolerated: Chief Balwinder Singh Bhunder Warns Rebel Leaders
Mayawati Removes Akash Anand from Key BSP Posts, Declares No Successor Will Be Named