Air India flight forced to return to Indira Gandhi International Airport due to clogged toilets

DELHI, India, June 2 (UPI) -- An Air India flight that took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi was forced to turn around and head back because all four of its toilets were clogged.

Frankfurt-bound AI 121 was carrying 214 passengers and the flight was supposed to take about eight hours. The plane returned to Delhi about three hours after it had departed. Passengers aboard the plane were supposed to be offered two full meals, a snack and unlimited beverage service.

"The flushes were unserviceable so the plane had to return to Delhi," an Air India official told the Times of India. "The passengers could not board another aircraft since night curfew in Frankfurt would have kicked in by the time the alternate plane would have reached there."

Another Air India plane experienced a similar problem when "everything made available to passengers for free was found flushed down the toilet."

Apparently passengers flushed complimentary blankets, pillows, socks, slippers and towels down the toilets, causing them to clog.

"AI is the oldest airline of the country," an airline official said. "It should know the behavior of Indian passengers and should maintain toilets accordingly. The failure to do so has cost the airline dearly, both monetarily and in terms of losing flyers' faith."

It's unclear what caused the toilets aboard flight AI 121 to clog.