Virgin Australia has issued an apology after passengers on a flight from Bali to Brisbane were forced to urinate in bottles and sinks when every toilet onboard failed.
According to 7News, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 departed Denpasar on August 28 with one lavatory already out of service. Due to limited engineering support at the airport, the flight wasn’t delayed or canceled.
But midway through the six-hour trip, the remaining two toilets malfunctioned completely, leaving the plane full of people without working bathrooms, creating a total vacation catastrophe.
“One elderly woman was unable to hold on and suffered the humiliation of wetting herself in public,” a passenger told The Australian. “For the remaining three hours, the cabin crew informed us we would need to relieve ourselves in bottles or on top of whatever was already in the toilet.”
Passengers given credits after flight becomes a “health hazard”
Photos obtained by 7News showed the unusable facilities overflowing with urine and toilet paper. Other passengers said the stench filled the cabin and liquid began leaking onto the floor.
The Transport Workers’ Union slammed the ordeal as a “serious health hazard,” warning that airline staff across the industry are facing greater risks as companies cut costs.
Virgin confirmed the incident in a statement: “A Virgin Australia flight from Denpasar to Brisbane on Thursday evening experienced an issue during the flight which affected the serviceability of the lavatories. We sincerely apologize to our guests and thank our crew for managing a challenging situation on board.”
The airline said all affected customers will receive flight credits and has begun reaching out to passengers directly.
This isn’t the only time a flight turned into a disastrous trip. Infamously, years ago, WWE legend Andre The Giant, took what was described as the ‘world’s biggest poo’ on a flight from Japan to the US that left passengers “gagging, puking, crying and screaming.”
Earlier this year, passengers on a United Airlines flight from LA to China were given a $15 coupon after the pilot turned around upon realizing he had forgotten his passport.
