Clogged Airplane Toilets Force India Bound Flight to Return to Chicago After 10 Hours in the Air

A routine international flight was forced to turn around to protect passengers from having an accident—but not the type recently associated with air travel.

An Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi was forced to return to O'Hare International Airport March 5 after the majority of its toilets became clogged mid-flight, BBC reported.

The restroom issues began about two hours into the Boeing 777's journey. As the flight progressed, 11 out of 12 lavatories were found to be "unserviceable," causing significant discomfort for passengers and crew. While the crew did attempt to continue the flight, restrictions on night landings at many European airports ultimately forced the aircraft to turn around near Greenland. The flight was in the air nearly 10 hours before landing back where it began.

An investigation revealed "polythene bags, rags and clothes that had been flushed down and stuck in the plumbing," leading to severe blockages. Air India cited past examples of inappropriate objects flushed down its planes' toilets, including blankets, underwear and diapers.

"We take this opportunity to urge passengers to use lavatories only for the purposes that they are meant for," the airline said in a statement.

An Air India spokesperson confirmed that the decision to return was made for passenger "comfort and safety." Upon arrival, affected travelers were provided with hotel accommodations and rebooking assistance.