FLUSHED OUT

United Flight Forced to Turn Back by Onboard Bathroom Emergency

Passengers were forced into a mega-layover, taking off 25 hours after their original flight left the tarmac.

United Airlines passengers were left high and dry after a bathroom breakdown forced their Paris to Washington, D.C. flight to return back to France. Flight 331, a Boeing 767 bound for Dulles International Airport, took off from Charles de Gaulle Airport around 5 p.m. Sunday. Just over an hour into the eight-hour journey, the plane abruptly turned around midair while crossing between Scotland and Ireland, according to flight-tracking data. The issue wasn’t turbulence or a mechanical fault—but a plumbing problem. “The flight returned to address an issue with the lavatories,” a United spokesperson told Business Insider, adding that the aircraft landed safely and passengers were rebooked. Instead of arriving in Washington, travelers touched down back in Paris two and a half hours after leaving the city. The Boeing 767 was eventually cleared to fly again, taking off roughly 25 hours later and arriving at Dulles just before 9 p.m. Monday.