No toilets, no dignity—here's why an older traveller was forced to wet herself mid-flight
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A nightmare unfolded mid-air when passengers on a Virgin flight from Bali to Brisbane found themselves without functioning toilets.
What began as a standard six-hour journey quickly spiralled into humiliation for those on board.
By the time the plane reached cruising altitude, the reality of the breakdown set in—and passengers were forced to confront an unthinkable alternative.
The ordeal began on 28 August when Virgin flight VA50 departed Denpasar on a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
The rear lavatory was already out of service, yet the flight was not delayed or cancelled due to limited engineering support in Bali.
Midway through the journey, the remaining two toilets failed completely, leaving more than 180 passengers stranded without access to basic facilities.
‘One elderly woman was unable to hold on and suffered the humiliation of wetting herself in public,’ a passenger shared.
For the final three hours of the flight, crew informed passengers they would need to relieve themselves in bottles or ‘on top of whatever was already in the toilet’.
According to one account, a foul smell filled the air as urine seeped onto the cabin floor, compounding the distress.
Virgin Australia later confirmed the incident, offering a public apology.
‘A Virgin Australia flight from Denpasar to Brisbane on Thursday evening experienced an issue during the flight which affected the serviceability of the lavatories,’ the airline said in a statement.
‘We sincerely apologise to our guests and thank our crew for managing a challenging situation on board.’
The airline added that customers would be credited for the flight and contacted directly with updates.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) also responded, describing the incident as a ‘distressing event, which constitutes a severe hazard both for crew and passengers’.
‘Across the board, aviation workers are dealing with increasing risks to their health and safety at work, with an industry-wide trend towards profits over performance,’ TWU national assistant secretary Emily McMillan said.
‘We need to see decisions made in the interest of public and workers, not just prioritise getting planes out to maximise profits at the expense of the community.’
Air travel is supposed to be about safety and dignity, yet too often passengers are left dealing with distressing situations that should never occur.
The recent toilet failure mid-flight isn’t the only example of travellers being let down by airlines in shocking ways.
In another incident, two blind women were left behind and offered only a token voucher despite mounting penalties against the industry.
Read more: Airline leaves two blind women behind and offers $150 as disability fines climb to $50 million
For those trapped in the cabin, the flight became more than just a delay—it was an unforgettable ordeal that raised uncomfortable questions about airline priorities.
What began as a standard six-hour journey quickly spiralled into humiliation for those on board.
By the time the plane reached cruising altitude, the reality of the breakdown set in—and passengers were forced to confront an unthinkable alternative.
The ordeal began on 28 August when Virgin flight VA50 departed Denpasar on a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
The rear lavatory was already out of service, yet the flight was not delayed or cancelled due to limited engineering support in Bali.
Midway through the journey, the remaining two toilets failed completely, leaving more than 180 passengers stranded without access to basic facilities.
Mid-air toilet failure leaves passengers stranded. Image source: Facebook/Airline Secrets Exposed
‘One elderly woman was unable to hold on and suffered the humiliation of wetting herself in public,’ a passenger shared.
For the final three hours of the flight, crew informed passengers they would need to relieve themselves in bottles or ‘on top of whatever was already in the toilet’.
According to one account, a foul smell filled the air as urine seeped onto the cabin floor, compounding the distress.
Virgin Australia later confirmed the incident, offering a public apology.
‘A Virgin Australia flight from Denpasar to Brisbane on Thursday evening experienced an issue during the flight which affected the serviceability of the lavatories,’ the airline said in a statement.
‘We sincerely apologise to our guests and thank our crew for managing a challenging situation on board.’
The airline added that customers would be credited for the flight and contacted directly with updates.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) also responded, describing the incident as a ‘distressing event, which constitutes a severe hazard both for crew and passengers’.
‘Across the board, aviation workers are dealing with increasing risks to their health and safety at work, with an industry-wide trend towards profits over performance,’ TWU national assistant secretary Emily McMillan said.
‘We need to see decisions made in the interest of public and workers, not just prioritise getting planes out to maximise profits at the expense of the community.’
Air travel is supposed to be about safety and dignity, yet too often passengers are left dealing with distressing situations that should never occur.
The recent toilet failure mid-flight isn’t the only example of travellers being let down by airlines in shocking ways.
In another incident, two blind women were left behind and offered only a token voucher despite mounting penalties against the industry.
Read more: Airline leaves two blind women behind and offers $150 as disability fines climb to $50 million
For those trapped in the cabin, the flight became more than just a delay—it was an unforgettable ordeal that raised uncomfortable questions about airline priorities.
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