Air India’s Toilet Troubles: A Nation’s Entitlement, Mid-Air ✈️
Ah, Air India—our national embarrassment that just won’t retire gracefully. The aviation equivalent of a power cut during a wedding. This time? A Chicago-Delhi flight turned back mid-air because the toilets got clogged.
Yes, you read that right. Not an engine failure, not a terrorist threat—just a lavatory rebelling against its destiny.
Now, let’s be fair. Was this Air India’s fault? Well, mostly. Their aircrafts are older than some Indian family feuds, their service has the efficiency of a government office at lunch break, and their maintenance strategy is a collective prayer to Lord Vishwakarma.✈️
But let’s not forget the real villain here—our very own legendary Indian travelers.
Passenger Behavior: The Real Disaster at 35,000 Feet
Let’s call it what it is: The Great Indian Entitlement. The same people who treat Emirates, Singapore Airlines, or Lufthansa flights like holy shrinesturn Air India into a flying railway station.✈️ Because it’s our airline, right? Chalrahahai, chalne do.♂️
- The same passenger who meticulously follows rules on Qatar Airways will happily shove tissues, plastic bottles, and a paratha down an Air India toilet.♂️
- The same person who won’t dare litter in Singapore will happily throw a chai cup on an Indian street.☕️
- The same NRI uncle who whispers politely to a Lufthansa stewardess will yell “Ae, paanilaana!” at an Air India crew member.
We treat Air India the same way we treat our country—with zero regard and infinite excuses.
Air India: Time to Revamp or Just Shut It Down?
Now, don’t get me wrong. Air India sucks. It’s like that washed-up Bollywood actor who should have retired gracefully but instead keeps doing Bigg Boss to stay relevant.
The Tatas swooped in like a Bollywood hero in a third-act entry, but even they are struggling to make this zombie airline look alive.
Let’s do some hard-hitting comparison, shall we?
| Airline | Average Fleet Age | Customer Experience | Reliability |
| Air India | 9.5 years (feels like 50) | Government office in turbulence | Toilets can’t even make it to Delhi |
| Lufthansa | 9.6 years | Smooth like German beer | German efficiency at 40,000 feet |
| British Airways | 12.1 years | Polite, but very British | Never loses its stiff upper lip |
| KLM | 11.3 years | Tulip-scented experience | Dutch directness, but reliable |
| United Airlines | 16.2 years | Basic, but works | Drags passengers, but lands on time |
| Delta Airlines | 14.8 years | Old planes, but solid service | Never lets you down (mostly) |
| Air France | 14.1 years | Elegant, but French✨ | Occasional strikes, but chic |
| American Airlines | 12.2 years | “Meh” but efficient | Functional, not fancy |
| Cathay Pacific | 10.6 years | Asia’s golden child | Super smooth, super clean
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*There is not much difference in the age of the oldest planes too. Most are between 25 to 35 years. Air India not being the oldest either.
See the problem? Even airlines with older fleets function properly. Air India? Can’t even keep a toilet functional for 15 hours.
My Personal War Story: The 30-Hour Nightmare
This reminds me of my horrific 30-hour saga on Air India (full disaster here). From disappearing crew members to magically shifting flight timings, it was an experience so bizarre that even Christopher Nolan couldn’t script it.
It’s the same Air India DNA.Delays, chaos, inefficiency, and a nation that shrugs it off as “chaltahai.”
Final Thoughts: A Toilet-Sized Metaphor for India
This clogged toilet isn’t just an aviation story. It’s a metaphor for how we treat our country. We cut corners, blame others, and accept mediocrity as a way of life.
So what’s the solution? Fix Air India or shut it down. If the Tatas can’t turn this Titanic around, maybe it’s time to let it sink. Because no airline should have to turn back… because people don’t know how to use a toilet.
