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Female passenger left trapped in lavatory on British Airways plane

Female passenger left trapped in lavatory on British Airways plane

Old Nov 5, 2013, 1:39 am
  #1  
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Female passenger left trapped in lavatory on British Airways plane

Wow

A female passenger found herself trapped in the lavatory on board a British Airways plane as it hurtled down the runway and took off.

As the plane gathered speed the embarrassed young woman sheepishly stepped out of the toilet, only to be ordered back inside by a screaming air stewardess.

Moments later the packed Gatwick-bound flight took off - with the passenger still locked in the toilet without a seatbelt to anchor her to the lavatory.

The dark-haired woman was only allowed to return to her seat after the flight was safely in the air and the seatbelt warning lights had been switched off.

The blunder happened as the delayed BA flight took off from Amsterdam's Schipol Airport.

Shocked passengers told how the flight crew appeared in a rush to get back to the West Sussex Airport after the 9.35pm plane was delayed by more than 30 minutes.

'The plane had actually pulled away from the stand with some passengers still standing up and struggling to find space in the overhead lockers for their bags,' said one 31-year-old passenger.

'As the plane started to accelerate along the runway I heard a commotion at the back of the aircraft.

'An air stewardess, who was strapped in her seat, was shouting from the back of the plane.

'A young woman, aged in her early 20s, was trying to come out of the toilet. The crew screamed at her to get back inside as it was extremely dangerous.

'They only allowed the young woman out and to return to her seat once the aircraft had reached cruising height.

'I heard other passengers saying that there was not a spare seat on the flight, so I don't know how the flight crew didn't realise that the girl was missing as she had an aisle seat.

'The crew were sat right next to the plane toilet, but obviously in their rush to depart didn't check it.'

The passenger apologised to the attendants as she made her way back to her seat.

One steward was over-heard telling her: 'That was extremely dangerous'. The young woman did not seem to have been affected by the ordeal.

The witness on the plane, who declined to be named, said: 'When the flight was approaching Gatwick the pilot came on the radio and told passengers that they should return to their seats and the toilets could no longer be used.

'It seemed that this was done deliberately after what had happened earlier and there were a few giggles among passengers who had seen it all.

'The crew seemed to blame the young woman for what happened but surely it is their job to check everybody is in their seats before the plane starts moving.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2jl605f5n
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:06 am
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Why is she apologising to the crew? Shouldn't they have checked that the toilets were empty before they departed?
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:08 am
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Without knowing the full facts it is impossible to say whose fault this was. I've often seen people duck into the WC at the last possible moment, well after the seatbelt signs have gone on at both take-off and landing.
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:10 am
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If she's done that then she's v naughty!
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:18 am
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The toilets should've been checked before departure. This is very bad form, and will no doubt be dealt with. Very embarrassing.
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:26 am
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The witness on the plane, who declined to be named, said: 'When the flight was approaching Gatwick the pilot came on the radio and told passengers that they should return to their seats and the toilets could no longer be used.

'It seemed that this was done deliberately after what had happened earlier...
I heard that PA many times so I doubt it was made deliberately due to the situation that occurred earlier.
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:33 am
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Originally Posted by LTN Phobia
I heard that PA many times so I doubt it was made deliberately due to the situation that occurred earlier.
Indeed... I can't remember when it was last not made... Although I rarely pay attention to these stock announcements. Most of us here could probably recite them like we recite the alphabet...
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:35 am
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Are you people suggesting that a newspaper article about BA might not have been properly fact checked?
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:41 am
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You can imagine the situation where ther FA checks the loo, turns his/her back to do something else and only then does the passenger go to the loo - hence the FA telling the passenger off.

Looks like the crucial bit of information we are missing is when the passenger went in to the loo. Once the plane starts pushing back then as far as I understand that's tough. Just cross your legs and hope you don't have a long wait until the seat belt sign goes off after initial climb - we have all been there!

Last edited by KARFA; Nov 5, 2013 at 2:55 am
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:46 am
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Sexist headline, ridiculous hyperbole, idiotic passenger who went to the toilet while the seatbelt sign was on. It must be the daily mail.
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:48 am
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Why does the article make so much about this person being a woman? and what relevance is it that she had dark hair? If it was a man would it describe his appearance so much and make so much of his gender? I'm a guy BTW but find it very interesting how journalists treat men and women differently
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 2:52 am
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Originally Posted by SteveF
Without knowing the full facts it is impossible to say whose fault this was. I've often seen people duck into the WC at the last possible moment, well after the seatbelt signs have gone on at both take-off and landing.
While on a BA flight that was also departing AMS for London a few years ago, I'm minding my own business in my aisle seat as we're trundling towards the Polderbaan for takeoff, when the guy beside me nudges me and motions that his wife/travelling companion in the window seat wants to get up to use the toilet.

I motion that it is not possible, point to the seatbelt sign, and using my hands mimic a taking-off motion. Luckily one of the cabin crew comes on the PA asking the standing pax to sit down and fasten their seat belts.

It was the same rigmarole again as soon as we were in the air!
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 3:09 am
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Originally Posted by Jetstreamer
Why does the article make so much about this person being a woman? and what relevance is it that she had dark hair? If it was a man would it describe his appearance so much and make so much of his gender? I'm a guy BTW but find it very interesting how journalists treat men and women differently
Wondered the same thing, they also need to add where she works and the value of her house/apartment
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 3:14 am
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Anyway, it is perfectly clear that she was not "trapped".

She was able to get out; she was simply told to stay there for the time being because it was safer (which was probably true, whatever the circumstances in which she came to be there at that time).
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Old Nov 5, 2013, 3:33 am
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Originally Posted by LTN Phobia
I heard that PA many times so I doubt it was made deliberately due to the situation that occurred earlier.
IME, it's more common on long-haul than short-haul though.

I knew this was a DM story from the early reference to "screaming air stewardess"
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