From Delhi to Disgust: 17-Hour American Airlines Flight Fills With Sewage – View from the Wing

From Delhi to Disgust: 17-Hour American Airlines Flight Fills With Sewage

by Gary Leff on January 31, 2024

The longest American Airlines flight became a biohazard on Monday when lavatories began overflowing with sewage, pouring out into the cabin.

American Airlines flight 293 from Delhi to New York JFK kept flying this way for “10+ hours” of the 17-hour flight after “4 lavatories flooded with sewage.” It appears that crew used Casper blankets to cover up the mess in the aisle. Video shows the refugee camp that the cabin had become, and a photo shows a lavatory sink filled with poo water.

Nightmare on @AmericanAir AA 293 from Delhi to New York, Jan 29, 2024. 4 lavatories flooded with sewage in front of my seat. 10+ hrs of trauma in this appalling situation. Complaints met with generic response. Unacceptable hygiene standards. #AmericanAirlines #PassengerNightmare pic.twitter.com/V5eP5y3Yb5

— Anmol Kaushik (@AnmolKa96446669) January 30, 2024

I’m sure passengers were grateful to arrive 26 minutes early in New York!

An American Airlines spokesperson tells me that there was a “small leak” on the Boeing 777 coming from Delhi, stemming from a clogged toilet. They “cleaned up the mess” at New York JFK and the plane is back in service. “Customers who wrote in were compensated” for the inconvenience. My takeaway is that some passenger probably flushed a diaper.

Back in September, a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Barcelona had to turn around after a passenger let loose diarrhea all the way through the aircraft.

Passengers returned to Atlanta and waited while Delta cleaned the aircraft and found a new crew. They were sent on their way using the same plane a few hours later. Video showed the inside of the aircraft.

A Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Barcelona was forced to turn around after a passenger had diarrhea. The plane had set out on time with 336 passengers on board, but was forced to turn around over central Virginia. https://t.co/9sco5r7jwo pic.twitter.com/Ankabf10I9

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 10, 2023

A month later, an American Airlines passenger pooped in the aisle.

Had the worst experience on my recent birthday trip with @AmericanAir Someone had a poop accident in the aisle right next to me & they are refusing to compensate ! Talk about a crappy way to celebrate! #AmericanAirlines #BirthdayBlues #customerservicefail pic.twitter.com/f9hnyPSsLc

— Fete Jen (@fete_jen) October 16, 2023

I guess I also want to know, why does it seem like sewage in the aisle is happening all of a sudden?

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