A passenger in India was stuck in the toilet of an airplane for the entire duration of the flight after the door malfunctioned during the flight.
The man, who was flying on a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Bengaluru on Wednesday, wanted to use the toilet soon after the plane took off, but he was stranded and the journey turned into an ordeal lasting an hour and 45 minutes.
When the men discovered that the man was trapped in the bathroom, they tried unsuccessfully to unlock the door from the outside.
Only after the flight landed at Bengaluru airport and technicians intervened could the passenger be freed from the narrow toilet.
Private airline SpiceJet expressed its regret over the incident and said the passenger would receive a full refund of the flight fare.
“On January 16, a passenger on a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Bengaluru was unfortunately stranded in the lavatory for approximately one hour while the aircraft was in the air due to a door lock malfunction,” the airline said in a statement.
“Throughout the journey, our crew provided assistance and guidance to the passenger. Upon arrival, a technician opened the toilet door and the passenger received immediate medical assistance,” it said.
The flight crew reportedly also communicated with the passenger stuck in the toilet using a note pushed under the door.
The passenger was told “not to panic” after his attempts to open the door failed. The note said the plane was preparing to “land in a few minutes, so please close the toilet lid and sit on it.”
“And secure yourself. As soon as the main door is open, the engineer will arrive,” the note said. “Don’t panic.”
The incident came at a time when aviation in India is grappling with a spate of incidents related to flight delays and cancellations.
The situation has become even more serious as dense fog caused by a cold wave enveloped parts of northern India, causing flight disruptions.
On Monday, a video of a passenger hitting a pilot on board an IndiGo flight went viral. A passenger attacked the pilot who had come out to announce another delay of the Delhi-Goa flight, which was delayed by more than 10 hours.
An Air India flight was also delayed for around 17 hours. The incident sparked a debate after videos showed passengers eating while waiting on the tarmac.
