Please, Do NOT Break This Airplane Bathroom Rule

An Air India flight from Chicago to India was forced to return hours into its journey in early March after several bathrooms on the plane were clogged with clothes, rags, and plastic bags, CNN has reported.

Air India AI126 was five hours into its flight when it was forced to turn around after crews were notified that some of the toilets were out of order an hour and 45 minutes into the flight.

Later during the flight, the crew determined that eight of 12 lavatories were “unserviceable” and “causing discomfort to all on board,” according to an Air India spokesperson. An investigation revealed that “polythene bags, rags, and clothes” in addition to other items had been flushed down the lavatories and “stuck in the plumbing.”

The plane, a Boeing 777-300ER, was over the Atlantic Ocean at the time the situation unfolded, but a decision was made to return to Chicago because of restrictions on nightly operations at European airports.

“The decision to divert was taken entirely in the interest of passenger comfort and safety,” the Air India spokesperson said. Passengers were provided hotel accommodation and alternative flight routes upon returning to Chicago — but this brings to light a very important airplane bathroom rule!

Do NOT flush ANYTHING but the provided toilet paper when using the bathroom on airplanes. Those systems are delicate and definitely not made to withstand random, foreign objects being flushed down them.

Even still, the spokesperson said that this wasn’t the first time foreign objects were found on Air India toilets –– “blankets, innerwear, and diapers, among other waste have been flushed down toilets on other flights.”

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In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more travel updates. Make sure you stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney news and more!