Toilet crisis at 30,000 feet: Passengers forced to use bottles on a Virgin Australia flight after lavatory failure

Passengers on a Virgin Australia flight from Bali to Brisbane faced an unprecedented mid-air crisis when all the plane’s toilets failed, forcing travellers to improvise in humiliating and unsanitary conditions. Flight VA50 departed Denpasar International Airport on 28 August with only two functioning lavatories, as a rear toilet was already out of service. Midway through the six-hour journey on the Boeing 737 MAX 8, the remaining toilets stopped working entirely. Cabin crew informed passengers they would need to relieve themselves in bottles or “on top of whatever was already in the toilet,” sparking distress among children, elderly travellers, and other passengers. The airline later confirmed that all toilets were out of service for the final one hour and 40 minutes of the flight, and passengers were offered compensation.


Toilets fail mid-air on Virgin Australia flight

Initially, only the rear lavatory of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was out of service due to maintenance issues, but the airline chose not to cancel or delay the flight because of limited engineering support in Bali. Shortly after takeoff, the second rear toilet became unusable, leaving passengers with just one functioning lavatory at the front. This created long queues, with some passengers reporting they had to wait for around 40 minutes. Midway through the flight, the remaining toilets malfunctioned completely, forcing passengers to use bottles or makeshift options. The breakdown caused a chaotic scene in the cabin, with the stench of human waste spreading and the aircraft becoming increasingly uncomfortable for passengers and crew.


Passenger reactions and human impact

Passengers described the ordeal as humiliating and stressful. One passenger told The Australian that an elderly woman was unable to hold on and wet herself in public, while children were reportedly crying and many travellers were visibly upset. Another passenger in business class declined to use a bottle and was offered a sink instead, highlighting the severity of the situation. Several passengers noted that the cabin became unhygienic and unsafe, with urine seeping onto the floor and spreading an unpleasant odour throughout the aircraft. Many expressed concerns that such incidents compromise basic dignity and sanitation, which should be considered essential during air travel.


Airline response
Virgin Australia acknowledged the incident and apologised to affected passengers. A spokesperson confirmed that the flight experienced issues affecting the serviceability of the lavatories and stated that the airline is investigating the cause of the malfunction. Passengers were informed that they would receive flight credits and direct updates regarding the situation. Virgin Australia also thanked the cabin crew for managing the challenging circumstances onboard, emphasising that the crew did their best to assist passengers during the prolonged in-flight toilet outage.

The incident raised significant hygiene and public health concerns. Passengers reported that the stench of human waste filled the cabin as urine and used toilet paper began to overflow. Cabin crew had to manage the situation while ensuring passenger safety, but the breakdown highlighted the risks posed by in-flight sanitary failures .