'Polythene bags, rags, clothes flushed': Air India on lavatory issue that forced flight return

Air India on Monday confirmed that its Chicago-to-Delhi flight was forced to return to the US city after most of the 12 lavatories onboard became unserviceable. The airline stated that the toilets were clogged due to items like polythene bags, rags, and clothes being flushed down, making them unusable.

The incident occurred on March 6 when AI126 returned to Chicago shortly after departure. At the time, the airline cited a “technical issue” as the reason for the air return. 

In a detailed statement, Air India confirmed that about an hour and forty-five minutes into the flight, the crew reported multiple lavatories in Business and Economy Class becoming unusable. "Subsequently, eight of the 12 lavatories in the aircraft became unserviceable, causing discomfort to all on board," the airline said.

With the aircraft flying over the Atlantic, possible diversions to European cities were considered. However, due to night operation restrictions at most European airports, the decision was made to return to Chicago in the interest of passenger comfort and safety, Air India explained.

Addressing social media discussions about the incident, the airline stated, “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.”

Air India confirmed that its investigation found “polythene bags, rags, and clothes” flushed down the toilets, which led to blockages. The airline also urged passengers to use lavatories appropriately, noting that past cases had seen items like "blankets, innerwear, and diapers" clogging toilet systems on other flights.

A report by the popular aviation website View From The Wing had earlier claimed the flight was forced to return four-and-a-half hours after taking off when it was over Greenland. The return journey to Chicago took the same amount of time, extending the passengers' ordeal to nearly 10 hours.