Local
Frontier Jet Diverted to O'Hare After Lavatory Faucet Leak Floods Aisle
A Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Detroit made an emergency landing at O'Hare on Wednesday after a leaky lavatory faucet sent water running down the cabin floor, with no injuries reported.
A Frontier Airlines jet bound from Denver to Detroit was diverted to O'Hare International Airport on Wednesday afternoon after a malfunctioning lavatory faucet sent water streaming along the cabin floor, the airline said.
Flight 3566 landed safely in Chicago, and no injuries were reported, according to a Frontier statement. The airline said a faucet in the forward lavatory "sprung a leak," causing water to flow along part of the aircraft floor.
Video shared with local media showed water trickling down the aisle between rows of seated passengers, a visible disruption in the middle of what had been a routine cross-country trip.
Passengers were expected to be placed on a replacement aircraft later Wednesday to continue their journey to Detroit, the airline said.
The incident highlights the kind of mechanical problem that can force an unplanned landing even when it poses no direct danger to those on board. Lavatory plumbing failures are uncommon but not unheard of, and flight crews typically treat standing water in a cabin as a potential hazard because it can make aisles slippery and, in some cases, reach sensitive electrical equipment.
O'Hare is one of the busiest hubs in the country and a frequent diversion point for flights crossing the Midwest. Frontier, a budget carrier headquartered in Denver, operates a network of point-to-point routes that includes service between Denver and Detroit.
The airline did not say how many passengers were aboard or how long the replacement flight would be delayed. Further details about the cause of the leak were not immediately available.