Some passengers on a current lengthy haul Air India flight have been in for a fairly crappy time, after their flight needed to divert over clogged bathrooms. By all accounts, it sounds just like the service’s dealing with of this case was not spectacular.
Air India 777 returns to Chicago over clogged bathrooms
This incident occurred on March 5, 2025, and entails Air India flight AI126, scheduled to function from Chicago (ORD) to Delhi (DEL). The flight was operated by a 15-year-old Boeing 777-300ER with the license plate VT-ALQ.
The flight took off from O’Hare Airport on schedule, at 11:24AM, and commenced its roughly 14-hour journey to India. The jet flew out over Canada, the Labrador Sea, and Greenland, after which continued its Atlantic crossing. Nevertheless, over 4 hours after departure, the jet made a 180-degree flip, and headed again towards Chicago.
That was fairly an extended journey, and the aircraft ended up touchdown there at 9:08PM, after a flight time of 9hr44min. That’s proper, the aircraft flew for practically 10 hours, solely to finish up again the place it began. So, what was the rationale the aircraft returned to its origin? Based on the airline, it was as a result of “technical causes.”
Nevertheless, based on passengers, it was as a result of the bathrooms onboard have been clogged, and by the point the aircraft was passing Greenland, solely one of many plane’s 12 bathrooms was working.
That’s a tough cause for a diversion, and one definitely wonders why returning to the origin was the best choice on this case, particularly because it required roughly 5 hours of backtracking. Wouldn’t it have made sense to divert to a more in-depth airport nonetheless on the way in which to India, relatively than returning to an outstation? Or was the priority that the crew would trip at that time, after which passengers can be stranded in another country?
My first thought is that it looks as if it might’ve made sense to divert to London, which is an enormous station for Air India, and has loads of flights that passengers may very well be rebooked on. Nevertheless, the aircraft would’ve arrived whereas the airport’s curfew is in impact.
For what it’s value, the plane ended up remaining on the bottom in Chicago till 2PM on March 7, so it took practically two days till the aircraft might reenter service.
Air India appears to have dealt with this case horribly
In an announcement, Air India claims the next:
“Upon touchdown at Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked usually and have been supplied with lodging to minimise inconvenience. Different preparations are being made to fly the passengers to their vacation spot.”
Nevertheless, an OMAAT reader’s cousin was on this flight, and shares a unique model of occasions. When the aircraft landed again in Chicago, there have been reportedly solely two Air India workers to fulfill the aircraft, which had roughly 300 passengers. Passengers got a bit of paper (which I used to be despatched an image of), informing them to name customer support for rebooking choices.
Nevertheless, it was clear that customer support representatives hadn’t been briefed on what had occurred, so they’d no alternate options to supply. I can’t vouch for this, however the traveler claims that the scenario was so dangerous that Delta workers volunteered to assist the 2 Air India workers out of empathy, given the variety of stranded passengers.
As Air India tries to reinvent itself, it certain looks as if offering fundamental ranges of customer support continues to be extra of a battle than it must be.
Backside line
Air India passengers touring from Chicago to Delhi have been in for an disagreeable journey, because the aircraft ended up returning to its origin after practically 10 hours as a result of clogged bathrooms. Typically issues go unsuitable, although it appears like Air India didn’t do an awesome job dealing with this case.
What do you make of this Air India rest room diversion?
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