Air India Urges Passengers to Use Lavatories Properly After Flight Disruption
New Delhi, 11th March 2025: Following yet another incident of clogged lavatories disrupting a long-haul flight, Air India has issued an unusual appeal to passengers, urging them to use onboard restrooms appropriately. The airline revealed that plumbing blockages were caused by passengers flushing non-disposable items such as polythene bags, rags, and even clothing.
In a statement released on Monday, Air India said, “Our maintenance teams have repeatedly found objects such as blankets, innerwear, diapers, and other waste being flushed down the lavatories, leading to severe plumbing issues.”
The problem has been particularly frequent on Air India’s older Boeing 777 aircraft, primarily used for flights to North America. The most recent case occurred on March 5, when flight AI126 from Chicago to Delhi had to return to its origin after eight out of twelve onboard lavatories became inoperative due to blockages.
Addressing social media discussions about the incident, Air India clarified, “We are aware of the concerns regarding AI126, which had to divert back to Chicago due to multiple lavatories becoming unserviceable. Upon inspection, our teams found that foreign objects, including polythene bags, rags, and clothing, had been flushed, causing the blockage.”
Despite the unexpected disruption, the airline stated that the flight had initially departed on schedule. Air India has urged passengers to be mindful of what they dispose of in lavatories to prevent similar incidents in the future.
