A passenger was trapped in the toilet of an airliner for nearly two hours on a commercial flight in India after its door lock malfunctioned.
The passenger was flying on a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Bengaluru city on Tuesday.
He went to the toilet after the seat belt sign went off following take-off but was stuck for more than 100 minutes because of a “malfunction in the door lock”, the airline said.
He was released after the plane landed in Bengaluru airport and engineers were called. He was taken for a medical check-up for suspected trauma.
“Throughout the journey, our crew provided assistance and guidance to the passenger,” budget airline SpiceJet said.
“The passenger is being provided a full refund,” a SpiceJet representative told The National.
The crew tried to open the door but after failed attempts, they wrote a note asking him to not panic and passed it under the door.
“Sir, we tried our best to open the door. However, we could not open it. 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, the engineer will come. Do not panic,” the note read.
Airline safety regulations require passengers to be in their seats during take-off and landing.
India’s aviation industry has been in the spotlight in recent weeks because of widespread delays and cancellations that airlines said were caused by fog.
More than 300 flights have been reported as cancelled since January 14, leaving more than 40,000 passengers stranded. The average delay was more than an hour.
There has also been frustration at the airlines' handling of the situation.
On Sunday, passengers were seen eating meals on the tarmac beside an aircraft at Mumbai airport after their flight from Goa to Delhi was diverted and landed after a long delay.
The aircraft was reportedly allotted a remote parking bay instead of one near the airport terminal, leading to frustration among passengers who had not yet been served refreshments.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has sought a response from the airline and Mumbai airport authorities for failing to make proper arrangements for the passengers.
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