Latest news with #AI188
New Indian Express
06-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Clogged toilets force diversion of Delhi-bound Air India flight from Toronto to Frankfurt
NEW DELHI: Just two months after an Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi earned international 'notoriety' due to blocked toilets, it has just come to light that a similar incident took place on May 2. This time it involved a flight from Toronto to Delhi. Air India billed the incident as 'a technical issue.' The incident took place on flight AI 188, a Boeing 777 aircraft, carrying nearly 250 passengers. The flight had taken off only at 5.53 pm (local time) from Toronto with a delay of 5 hours and 38 minutes, reveals FlightAware, a flight tracking platform. The non-stop flight was airborne when it was diverted to Frankfurt. The issue appears to have surfaced mid-air forcing the diversion. The clogged toilets were rectified at Frankfurt and the flight took off two hours later to Delhi.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Time of India
Air India Toronto-Delhi flight diverted to Frankfurt due to clogged toilets
NEW DELHI: An aircraft heading from Toronto to Delhi was rerouted to Frankfurt on May 2 due to blocked toilets, according to PTI sources. The airline's official response, reported on Tuesday, indicated a technical fault as the cause of diversion. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now PTI sources within the airline revealed that flight AI188's diversion was necessary because several toilets were non-functional. On May 2, Air India flight AI188's non-stop service from Toronto to Delhi landed in Frankfurt citing technical difficulties. "The flight resumed its journey to Delhi from Frankfurt after approximately two hours," stated the Air India representative. The service utilised a Boeing 7770-337 (ER) aircraft, according to tracking data. The aircraft had been in service for 15.8 years, as documented by A report indicated that Air India faces challenges with long-distance flights due to its ageing fleet and passenger conduct. This incident marked the second occurrence in under two months where an due to toilet blockages. Previously, on March 6, flight AI126 travelling from Chicago to Delhi returned after more than 10 hours in the air because of similar issues. On March 10, Air India released a comprehensive statement regarding the March 6 Chicago-Delhi flight incident. The crew reported malfunctioning toilets in both Business and Economy sections approximately one hour and forty-five minutes into the journey. "Eventually, eight out of twelve aircraft toilets became non-functional, causing passenger discomfort," stated the airline regarding flight AI126. The airline subsequently requested passengers to "use lavatories appropriately" and disclosed finding items including blankets, undergarments, and nappies flushed down toilets on various flights. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The majority of wide-body aircraft serving US and Canadian routes are older, leading to recurring plumbing issues. The aged, interconnected pipe system means a single waste tank blockage affects half the aircraft's toilets. Wide-body aircraft typically feature two waste tanks connected to the toilet pipes, the source explained. Additionally, the certain passengers are seen to carelessly dispose of rubbish in toilets, causing blockages.
NDTV
06-05-2025
- NDTV
Delhi Bound Air India Flight Diverted Due To Clogged Toilets On May 2
New Delhi/ Mumbai: An Air India flight from Toronto to the national capital was diverted to Frankfurt on May 2 due to clogged lavatories, according to sources. When contacted, an Air India spokesperson said the flight was diverted due to a technical issue. The airline sources said flight AI188 had to be diverted to Frankfurt as some of the lavatories were unserviceable. This was at least the second instance in less than two months that an Air India wide body aircraft had to return mid-air due to clogged lavatories. On March 6, flight AI126 from Chicago to Delhi returned to the US city after being airborne for more than 10 hours due to the same issue. On May 2, flight AI188, operating non-stop from Toronto to Delhi, was diverted to Frankfurt due to a technical issue. "The flight was airborne from Frankfurt within a couple of hours and proceeded to its destination, Delhi," the Air India spokesperson said in a statement. The flight was operated with a Boeing 7770-337 (ER) aircraft as per information available on flight tracking website The aircraft was 15.8 years old, according to information from the website One of the sources said there are problems with Air India aircraft operating ultra-long haul routes due to the old fleet and passengers' behaviour. A majority of the wide body planes operating flights on the US and Canada routes are old due to which the plumbing issues keep cropping up. The pipes are old and interconnected, and whenever a waste tank gets choked, it blocks half of the lavatories of the aircraft. Generally, there are two waste tanks on a wide body plane to which these lavatory pipes are connected, the source added. Further, the source said that some passengers recklessly throwing garbage in the toilet also results in choking the system. Air India, on March 10, had issued a detailed statement about the air return of the Chicago-Delhi flight on March 6. 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 airline had said in the statement about flight AI126. At that time, the airline had 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, inner wear, and diapers, among other waste, having been flushed down the toilets on other flights.
Economic Times
06-05-2025
- Economic Times
Air India diverted Toronto-Delhi flight to Frankfurt due to clogged lavatories on May 2
An Air India flight from Toronto to the national capital was diverted to Frankfurt on May 2 due to clogged lavatories, according to sources. When contacted, an Air India spokesperson said the flight was diverted due to a technical issue. The airline sources said flight AI188 had to be diverted to Frankfurt as some of the lavatories were unserviceable. This was at least the second instance in less than two months that an Air India wide body aircraft had to return mid-air due to clogged lavatories. On March 6, flight AI126 from Chicago to Delhi returned to the US city after being airborne for more than 10 hours due to the same issue. On May 2, flight AI188, operating non-stop from Toronto to Delhi, was diverted to Frankfurt due to a technical issue. "The flight was airborne from Frankfurt within a couple of hours and proceeded to its destination, Delhi," the Air India spokesperson said in a statement. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) The flight was operated with a Boeing 7770-337 (ER) aircraft as per information available on flight tracking website The aircraft was 15.8 years old, according to information from the website One of the sources said there are problems with Air India aircraft operating ultra-long haul routes due to the old fleet and passengers' behaviour. A majority of the wide body planes operating flights on the US and Canada routes are old due to which the plumbing issues keep cropping up. The pipes are old and interconnected, and whenever a waste tank gets choked, it blocks half of the lavatories of the aircraft. Generally, there are two waste tanks on a wide body plane to which these lavatory pipes are connected, the source added. Further, the source said that some passengers recklessly throwing garbage in the toilet also results in choking the system. Air India, on March 10, had issued a detailed statement about the air return of the Chicago-Delhi flight on March 6. 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 airline had said in the statement about flight AI126. At that time, the airline had 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, inner wear, and diapers, among other waste, having been flushed down the toilets on other flights.
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
AI Toronto-Delhi flight diverted as 5 toilets clogged
An Air India flight from Toronto to Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt around six hours through its journey after several lavatories aboard the Boeing 777 aircraft were clogged, said people aware of the matter, in what is the second such incident in less than two months on a flight operated by the airline. The incident took place on May 2. Flight AI 188, a Boeing 777 aircraft, took off from Frankfurt and resumed its journey to Delhi a 'couple of hours' later, once the washrooms were made available. An official aware of the matter said, 'The flight had to be diverted to Frankfurt as at least five washrooms were clogged.' A Boeing 777 typically has 12 washrooms. The airline, in a statement issued on Monday, confirmed the diversion and attributed it to a 'technical issue'. 'Air India flight AI188 of 02 May 2025, operating non-stop from Toronto to Delhi, was diverted to Frankfurt due to a technical issue. The flight was airborne from Frankfurt within a couple of hours and proceeded to its destination, Delhi. We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety and well-being of our customers and crew remain top priority,' an Air India spokesperson said. The flight took off from Toronto's Pearson International Airport at 6.14 pm (local time) and landed in Delhi on the evening of May 3. Friday's incident comes less than two months after an Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi returned to the American city 10 hours after taking off, after all but one of its lavatories were clogged. The airline, at the time, attributed the issue blockages to polythene bags, rags, and clothes being stuffed down the toilets. A former airline official called the issue 'chronic'. 'Washrooms largely become unavailable for use because passengers dump rags, diapers, polythene bags, and clothes, clogging them. It could also happen as mineral scaling can curtail plumbing systems. This is because the systems in the aircraft are old,' said the official who asked not to be named 'There are three independent sewage lines on the 777. In case one of the lines gets blocked, it directly impacts a third of the total washrooms,' the official added. A former pilot requesting anonymity said, 'Flights that have more senior citizens and kids are the ones that encounter such issues. Usually, pilots apologise for the inconvenience, but continue with the flight, if the situation is manageable. It is when a majority of the washrooms become unserviceable that they decide to divert and get help.' Mark D Martin of Martin consulting, an aviation consulting and safety firm based in Asia, said, 'Clogged toilets again can't be because of the same reason as before. This should be a maintenance issue.' 'If the flight was able to take off within two hours from Frankfurt, it would be one of the quickest turnaround times in such a scenario,' the former pilot concluded.
