Man Aboard SpiceJet Flight Trapped In Aircraft Lavatory For Over An Hour; Airline Assures Full Refund

New Delhi: In an unusual incident, an man travelling aboard a SpiceJet flight, was trapped inside the aircraft lavatory mid-air for over an hour prompting the airline to issue an apology and a full ticket refund. The incident took place on Tuesday when a passenger travelling on Mumbai-Bengaluru flight got stuck in the lavatory due to malfunctioning of the door lock, the airline said in a statement.

A SpiceJet spokesperson said the airline humbly apologises for the inconvenience caused to the passenger and a full refund will be provided to the passenger.

Harrowing experience

Recalling his harrowing ordeal, the passenger seated on seat 14D, said he went to use the restroom soon after the SpiceJet flight departed from Mumbai at 2:10 AM on Tuesday night. However, when he tried to exit the lavatory, the door lock malfunctioned, trapping the man inside, and despite the best efforts of the flight crew, the door did not budge, forcing the passenger to remain confined inside the lavatory for around an hour till the aircraft landed in Bengaluru.

“Had to suffer a lot inside the restroom, it was really suffocating and was hard to breathe. He had breathing issues while he was locked inside the restroom,” the man said while narrating his unexpected ordeal onboard the aircraft.

The flight crew tried their best to unlock the lavatory door, however, when unsuccessful, they made an attempt to calm the unfortunate passenger by slipping in a handwritten note reassuring the man that he will be provided assistance once the aircraft lands.

“Sir, we tried our best to open the door, However, we could not open. 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, engineer will come. Do not panic,” the alleged note, which went viral on social media platforms, read.

Not the Best Start to the Year for this Man!!

A passenger travelling onboard SpiceJet Boeing 737 got trapped inside the lavatory.

Incident happened onboard SpiceJet flight SG268 from Mumbai to Bengaluru.

As the toilet door malfunctioned, he had to remain inside for around an… pic.twitter.com/n4NlA5kjgH

— JetArena (@ArenaJet) January 17, 2024

SpiceJet issues apology

Reacting to the incident, SpiceJet issued an apology and assured that full refund will be provided to the affected passenger.

“On 16 January, a passenger unfortunately got stuck inside the lavatory for about an hour on SpiceJet flight operating from Mumbai to Bengaluru, while the aircraft was airborne, due to a malfunction in the door lock,” SpiceJet said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The airline said the cabin crew provided assistance and guidance to the passenger throughout his ordeal and upon landing at the Bengaluru airport, an engineer opened the lavatory door and the passenger came out.

“Throughout the journey, our crew provided assistance and guidance to the passenger. Upon arrival, an engineer opened the lavatory door, and the passenger received immediate medical support,” they said, adding that the passenger is being provided a full refund.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is looking into the incident, said an official.

Refunds for cancelled flights not processed, say passengers

Meanwhile, several passengers have complained about not getting ticket refunds for flights that were cancelled in December. When asked about the complaints, a SpiceJet spokesperson said all refunds against flights cancelled in December 2023 or before that have been processed by the airline.

“It is imperative to note that refund processing is directed to the source of the booking. For passengers booking through travel agents or portals, the refunds are processed to the respective travel agent,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Some passengers have taken to social media flagging about the delay in getting the refunds from SpiceJet.

In a recent post on X, designer Shivi Pal said she was yet to get the refund for the ticket booked on SpiceJet flight from Varanasi that was cancelled on December 27, 2023.

“Wishing you all an Unhappy New Year with #spicejet. It has been almost 14 days since 27th December when my Spicejet flight from Varanasi airport was cancelled at night & till now no refund has been received in spite of ground staff taking passenger details,” she said in the post on January 11.

(With PTI inputs)