According to multiple crew accounts, during a PR113 flight last week, the flushing mechanism in all lavatories of the Boeing 777 reportedly failed mid-flight. Note: Not just one or two lavatories, but ALL of them decided to stop working at once.
With Guam roughly six hours away at the time, an expensive flight diversion was considered but ultimately rejected. The aircraft continued on to Manila and landed safely, completing the long-haul flight without delay and without formal passenger complaints.
What unfolded onboard, however, is now being questioned within aviation and labor circles. Crew members say they were instructed to manually scoop human waste and dispose of it into the adjacent lavatory basins, so that passengers could continue using the toilets.
Sources familiar with airline procedures say there is no global aviation protocol that supports such an approach, raising concerns over biosecurity, sanitation, and occupational safety.
The situation was reportedly managed out of passenger view, which may explain the absence of customer complaints. But crew members argue that the lack of external fallout should not be confused with proper handling. Following the flight, crew members reported the incident to the airline’s union.
Internal criticism has since focused on leadership at multiple levels. Crew sources point to the captain’s decision not to divert, the purser, as well as supervisors who allowed the situation to pass without escalation.
The most troubling aspect for many insiders is what happened next: silence. With no passenger backlash, the incident was allegedly buried. That, crew members warn, increases the risk of repetition.
Philippine Airlines avoided delays, regulatory attention, and public scrutiny on that PR113 flight. But it has also become a case study in how a successful handling of a lavatory crisis can mask a bigger failure.
In aviation, getting passengers to their destination is the most important part of the job. But also important is how the cabin crew is protected when systems fail.
InsiderPH has reached out the Philippine Airlines' management on this issue and will update this story once we receive a response.
Senior Reporter
