Passengers on a Virgin Australia flight were reportedly asked to relieve themselves in bottles after all the aircraft’s lavatories stopped working. The incident occurred on a five-hour flight from Bali, Indonesia, to Brisbane, Australia. The Australian airline has apologized for what was described as “a filthy, humiliating” incident.
According to a report by the Australian local newspaper 7News, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 narrowbody aircraft departed Denpasar with a rear toilet already out of order. The flight was not delayed or canceled, as limited engineering support at the airport made repairs difficult, as per the report.
A Closer Look Into The Incident
On August 28, 2025, a Virgin Australia Boeing 737 MAX 8 narrowbody aircraft, registered VH-8IK, was operating routine flight VA50 from Denpasar International Airport (DPS) to Brisbane Airport (BNE) when, mid-flight, two of the three remaining lavatories broke down.
A rear toilet was already out of service when the flight to Brisbane departed, but the flight was not canceled due to limited engineering support in the city, 7News reported. The aircraft ultimately operated without any functioning lavatories for about three hours. Speaking to The Australian, a passenger said “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.” A Virgin Australia spokesperson later said in a statement obtained by 7News:
“A 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. We will be crediting guests for the Denpasar to Brisbane flight, and we are proactively reaching out to them to provide this update.”
Clogged Toilets Force Diversions
Usually, if all lavatories fail, the flight crew decides whether to divert to the nearest airport, taking into account the flight’s duration and other factors. In this case, however, the Virgin Australia crew chose not to divert. The reason for the decision not to divert when all the toilets broke down is not yet known. However, the airline has said it will investigate.
In March 2025, Air India flight AI126 from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) was forced to return to Chicago O’Hare after most of its toilets became clogged. The airline confirmed that passengers attempting to flush plastic bags, rags, and clothing had caused the problem.
The aircraft spent several hours in the air before turning back to the United States. Video from inside the cabin showed confused passengers gathered around crew members as they explained the situation. The incident has since sparked a heated discussion on social media, with many weighing in on the importance of proper in-flight bathroom etiquette.
Credits: Simply Flying
