A passenger was trapped in the tiny lavatory of a plane for the entire flight after the door malfunctioned. The incident happened to a man flying with SpiceJet, an Indian domestic career, from Mumbai to Bengaluru on Wednesday. The man went inside the toilet soon after take off, but was stuck there for one hour and 45 minutes.
When the cabin crew realised they had a passenger stuck in the lavatory, they soon began efforts to unlock the door. However, all their attempts were unsuccessful. The passenger trapped inside the toilet was understandably in a state of shock.
To calm the man down, the SpiceJet crew wrote a note on a piece of paper and slipped it under the toilet door, which later went viral on social media.
"Sir, we tried our best to open the door. However, we could not open. Do not panic, we are landing in a few minutes. So please close the commode lid and sit on it and secure yourself. As soon as the main door is open, engineer will come. Do not panic," said the note.
Guy who got stuck in a Toilet in a SpiceJet flight was given this note.
— Gabbar (@GabbbarSingh) January 17, 2024
Should also provide a seat belt on the commode. pic.twitter.com/MPGikZfQRP
Upon the flight's arrival in Bengaluru, an engineer finally unlocked the door and rescued the trapped passenger. The flier was provided medical attention soon after rescue, SpiceJet revealed in a statement.
"On 16 January, a passenger unfortunately got stuck inside the lavatory for about an hour on SpiceJet flight operating from Mumbai to Bengaluru, while the aircraft was airborne due to a malfunction in the door lock.
"Throughout the journey, our crew provided assistance and guidance to the passenger. Upon arrival, an engineer opened the lavatory door, and the passenger received immediate medical support," a statement from the airlines said.
SpiceJet has expressed regret and apologised for the inconvenience to the passenger and reportedly said it would refund the full airfare.
The incident took place at a time when India's aviation minister had announced plans to set up "war rooms" at the country's six major airports to address issues around passenger inconveniences.
India, meanwhile, has been suffering from a chaotic aviation scene amid flight delays and cancellations. The situation has become even worse as thick fog caused by a cold wave has covered several parts of northern India, disrupting flights.
There have been quite a few not-so-positive air travel related news from around the globe recently. Earlier this year, a plane flying the Gambia national football team for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) made an emergency landing due to a lack of oxygen in the cabin.
In another instance, a United Airlines flight from Florida was forced to make an emergency landing after an open door indicator light illuminated mid-air.
