Latest news with #Flight126
Saudi Gazette
11-03-2025
- Saudi Gazette
Air India confirms plane returned after plastic bags and rags clog toilets
NEW DELHI — Air India has confirmed that one of its flights was forced to turn around last week after plastic bags, rags and clothes clogged up most of its toilets. The plane, which was heading from Chicago to the Indian capital of Delhi, spent several hours in the air before it returned to the US city. Video clips from inside the aircraft showed scenes of confusion as passengers huddled around crew members who seemed to be explaining the situation. The incident has stirred a lively debate on social media, with many Indians weighing in on airplane bathroom etiquette. The incident had taken place on 5 March on Air India Flight 126, according to a statement by the airline released on Monday. About two hours into the flight, crew members reported that some of the toilets were "unserviceable".Subsequently, they found eight of the 12 toilets in business and economy class could not be used, "causing discomfort to all on board". The plane can carry up to 342 that point of time the plane was already flying over the Atlantic Ocean, according to Air India's statement. Due to restrictions on night operations at most European airports at the time, the pilots decided to return to Chicago for "passenger comfort and safety".A BBC check on flight tracking website Flightradar24 found the plane was near Greenland when it turned around, and had spent a total of 10 hours in the India said an investigation later found "polythene bags, rags and clothes that had been flushed down and stuck in the plumbing" of the plane's released several pictures showing bags containing waste cleared from the toilets. One photo showed a crew member holding a drainage pipe completely stuffed with what appeared to be statement said that all passengers and crew disembarked normally in Chicago and were provided with accommodation and alternative flight toilets store human waste in special tanks and use a vacuum system for flushing. These are normally disposed of once the plane has clogged toilets are not uncommon, it is "next to impossible" for all toilets to break down "due to only passengers' fault, and in a way that it causes an emergency diversion", Mark Martin, an aviation expert, told the Hindustan Times Air India said it had previously found objects such as blankets, innerwear and diapers flushed down its planes' toilets."We take this opportunity to urge passengers to use lavatories only for the purposes that they are meant for," it X, many criticised the airline for poor upkeep and the lack of sanitation facilities on its aeroplanes."Only Air India has such frequent mishaps. Honestly what has happened is indefensible," one user others pointed out that the airline could not be held responsible for the situation."Can we honestly dump all the blame on Air India and the crew, when people can't follow basic travel etiquette?" another user said. — BBC
BBC News
11-03-2025
- BBC News
Air India plane diverted after plastic bags and clothes block toilets
Air India has confirmed that one of its flights was forced to turn around after plastic bags, rags and clothes clogged up most of its toilets, leaving many of its 300 passengers in discomfort. The plane, which was heading from Chicago to the Indian capital, Delhi - a 14-hour-journey - spent nearly two hours in the air before it returned to the US city. Video clips from inside the aircraft showed scenes of confusion as passengers huddled around crew members who seemed to be explaining the situation. The incident has stirred a lively debate on social media, with many Indians weighing in on aeroplane bathroom etiquette. Plane toilets store human waste in special tanks and use a vacuum system for flushing. These are normally disposed of once the plane has landed. While clogged toilets are not uncommon, it is "next to impossible" for all toilets to break down "due to only passengers' fault, and in a way that it causes an emergency diversion", Mark Martin, an aviation expert told the Hindustan Times incident took place on Air India Flight 126 on 5 March, but the airline put out a statement on Monday explaining what had said it had also previously found objects such as blankets, innerwear and diapers flushed down its toilets. "We take this opportunity to urge passengers to use lavatories only for the purposes that they are meant for," it said. In the statement, the airline said eight of its 12 toilets in business and economy class broke down after crew members "found polythene bags, rags and clothes that had been flushed down and stuck in the plumbing".It released several pictures showing bags containing waste cleared from the toilets. One photo showed a crew member holding a drainage pipe completely stuffed with what appeared to be to night-time restrictions at most European airports at the time, the airline said it could not divert the flight elsewhere - making a return to Chicago the only option."Upon landing at Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and have been provided with accommodation to minimise inconvenience," a company spokesperson said, adding that the decision to divert was taken "entirely in the interest of passenger comfort and safety".The airline added that it offered passengers full refunds and rescheduled X, many criticised the airline for poor upkeep and the lack of sanitation facilities on its aircrafts. "Only Air India has such frequent mishaps. Honestly what has happened is indefensible," one user others pointed out that the airline could not be held responsible for the situation. "Can we honestly dump all the blame on Air India and the crew, when people can't follow basic travel etiquette?" another user said.
Khaleej Times
10-03-2025
- Khaleej Times
Air India flight diverted back to Chicago after 10 hours due to clogged toilets
Passengers onboard an Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi on Thursday were forced to circle back to Chicago due to a technical snag, a spokesperson of the airlines said on Monday. The spokesperson further said that alternative arrangements were made in time for the passengers to take them to their destination. The passengers suffered a 10-hour trip to nowhere because all but one of its toilets allegedly became clogged and inoperable. Air India Flight 126 was making its way over Greenland on March 5 when 11 out of its 12 toilets broke down, with the only working toilet located in the business class section for some 300 passengers to use, The New York Post reported. The issue arose merely 5 hours into the 14-hour trip, forcing the airliner to head back to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. "AI126 operating Chicago to Delhi on March 6, 2025, air-returned to Chicago due to a technical issue. Upon landing at Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and have been provided with accommodation to minimise inconvenience," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson further said that they were being given full refunds on cancellation and complimentary rescheduling. "Alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to their destination. In addition, full refunds on cancellation and complimentary rescheduling are also being offered to passengers if opted by them. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew remain top priority," the spokesperson said. As per NYP, the passengers claimed they were forced to jump through hoops to get their flights rescheduled or refunded. Just one or two clogged toilets may trigger a flight crew to turn the plane around and land due to the limited number of lavatories available onboard.
