Clogged toilets force Chicago-Delhi Air India flight to turn around
What's the story
An Air India flight was allegedly forced to circle back to Chicago after all but one of its toilets became clogged and inoperable.
The only one that worked was in business class, leaving over 340 passengers with limited access. This forced the flight to return to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport after being airborne for over 10 hours.
The incident happened when the aircraft was over Greenland.
Diversion details
Flight diverted back to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport
After landing, all passengers and crew de-boarded normally. They were accommodated by Air India "to minimize inconvenience."
The carrier later said "alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to their destination."
According to the Hindustan Times, a person aware of the matter said the decision to turn around was reached when nine of the 10 lavatories on the Boeing 777-300 ER jet were backed up.
"Only one of the business class lavatories was functional," they said.
Customer concerns
Refunds offered, but customer service issues persist
Air India has reportedly offered refunds for the canceled flight.
However, some customers have complained of challenges in rescheduling or getting refunds.
One customer vented their frustration over the fiasco on View From The Wing, saying they were "now in the midst of customer service hell with Avianca, Lifemiles and Air India to figure out how to get a refund for the miles ticket."