An Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi was forced to return mid-air after more than ten hours in the air due to a technical issue, the airline said on Thursday. The flight, AI126, was operated using a Boeing 777-337 ER aircraft and had to turn back to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
While Air India attributed the return to a technical issue, a source familiar with the situation revealed that the flight was compelled to return due to multiple lavatories becoming clogged. According to the source, only one lavatory remained operational on the aircraft, which typically has ten lavatories, including two designated for first-class passengers.
With the Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft seating over 340 passengers across first, business, and economy classes, the malfunction posed significant inconvenience to those onboard. Data from flight tracking website Flightradar24 confirmed that the aircraft had been airborne for over ten hours before making its way back to Chicago.
In response to queries, an Air India spokesperson reiterated that the flight had to return due to a technical issue but did not provide further details. The airline has yet to clarify how the issue impacted passengers or whether alternative arrangements were made for their travel.