A Delta Air Lines flight from Paris to Seattle was rerouted to London this week after the crew flagged a mechanical problem tied to one of the aircraft’s onboard lavatories, according to the airline.
Delta Flight 81 had taken off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport on Aug. 13 and was headed for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when the issue led the pilots to divert to London Heathrow Airport.
The flight was operated on an Airbus A330-900 carrying 209 passengers and 13 crew members, Delta said.
While preparing to land at Heathrow, the crew declared an emergency with air traffic control because the aircraft was set to make an overweight landing, the airline confirmed.
A Delta Air Lines aircraft taxis at London Heathrow Airport in London Oct. 7, 2016. Delta Flight 81 was diverted to Heathrow after the crew reported a mechanical issue connected to an onboard lavatory. (Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Even with the emergency declaration in place, the plane touched down safely and without incident at London Heathrow.
Delta maintenance teams later worked on the Airbus in London to inspect and resolve the lavatory-related mechanical problem.
“We apologize to our customers for their experience and delay on Delta Flight 81 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Seattle, which diverted to London Heathrow after the crew reported a mechanical issue involving an onboard lavatory,” a Delta spokesperson said in a statement to News Outlet.
“This is not the experience we strive to provide, and we’re focused on getting our customers to their destinations as quickly and safely as possible.”
A Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-900, registration N812NW, is pictured at Leonardo da Vinci – Fiumicino Airport in Italy July 8, 2025. Delta Flight 81 was operated by an Airbus A330-900 carrying 209 passengers and 13 crew members when it diverted to London. (Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Once maintenance work was completed, the aircraft departed Heathrow, but the disruption meant passengers still faced an additional detour before reaching their intended destination on the West Coast.
Instead of continuing directly from London to Seattle, the flight headed to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport because of the crew’s available duty time, according to Delta.
Passengers cleared U.S. Customs at JFK before continuing their journey to Seattle.
The unusual itinerary ultimately took the 209 passengers from Paris to London, then across the Atlantic to New York before they could continue on to Seattle.
Passengers prepare to board a flight at London Heathrow Airport June 27, 2026. Delta Flight 81 made an unscheduled stop at Heathrow while traveling from Paris to Seattle after its crew reported a mechanical issue. (Marc Fernandes/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Delta did not provide additional details about the specific mechanical problem involving the lavatory or what maintenance was required to address it.
