Airliners-India.com

lambuhere1 · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 5:25 pm Post subject: Choked toilets delay AI flight

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Choked_toilets_delay_AI_flight/articleshow/2055856.cms

Low-cost carriers aren't the only ones to face the wrath of inquisitive first-time fliers.

An aircraft of Air India — a legacy carrier — also 'suffered' at the hands of travellers flying on the premium US-India sector on Tuesday when so much trash was dumped into toilets that as many as four of them got choked. As a result, the Wednesday morning Mumbai-Delhi-London-New York flight got delayed by over five hours as the toilets had to be serviced completely.

Unaware of this, passengers started streaming at Mumbai and Delhi airports for the 4 am and 6.45 am departure times from these places. But they had to endure a long wait of about six hours. According to an airline spokesperson, the Boeing 747 was flying on the Chicago-Frankfurt-Mumbai sector on Tuesday.

"The trouble started as napkins, plastic glasses and other waste were flushed in toilets. By the time the plane reached Mumbai, two economy class toilets and one each in the business and first class were completely choked," he said.

A Jumbo has 10 toilets and airlines may decide to seal one of them in case of trouble to ensure that the flight is not delayed. But with as many as four toilets choked, the plane had to spend much more time in Mumbai and the next flight it was to operate got delayed.

Not willing to take blame for this delay, AI told waiting passengers at Delhi and Mumbai airports that the plane had been delayed because of travellers' behaviour on the incoming flight. "This type of trouble has happened in the past also, but hardly one or two toilets got affected. This is the first time that as many as four toilets were choked together. We have decided to inform passengers of the problem and how it can be avoided," said the official.

The airline is looking at Tuesday's incident seriously and finding ways to avoid it. "In the past, we have been facing the problem of controlling inebriated passengers or rowdy behaviour. But the extent of dumping waste in toilets that happened on Tuesday is not acceptable," he said.

The airline is rattled as low cost carriers often face this problem from first time fliers. But this was not the case with the Maharaja when its Jumbo's toilets were choked with waste.

Why is it that AI is facing so many problmes this time of the year !@!

Ram P

himmat01 · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1392 Location: DEL

I have seen a situation like this on a LHR-BOM flight. One business class toilet on the upper deck, one first class toilet and four economy class toilets were chocked.
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Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

It often makes one wonder just who are these people who fly Air India First and Business Class who can't follow basic instructions in the lavs.

D-ABTH · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject:

and they want to serve alcohol on domestic sectors... here's one reason not to
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sammyk · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 3:45 am Post subject:

Good, they should start delaying flights even for one backed up toilet and teach these passengers a lesson about throwing anything into them.

tayaramecanici · Member Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 648

Most of these toilets are Vaccum Toilets i.e. They use a diff in pressure between the TANK and the Throne, low pr in the TANK and high cabin pr on the throne. The tank sits in the aft of the aircraft, all the waste gets sucked into it.These toilet systems have narrow 1'' pipes ducting waste thru them and these can and do get blocked often. As a engineer i've seen numerous airlines suffer this problem especially on long haul flts.

Its a different issue that in AI with our class conscious society its difficult persuading a bloke to rectify the fault as a purely engineering problem.

The previous generation toilet system consisted of a Throne with a tank filled with FLUID right under it. Its a anti-septic blue color fluid. The draw back of this system was the damage the fluid caused from leakages. The fluid leaking from these bogs cause extensive damage to aircraft structure requiring expensive repair.

For the last 1 week i have been absolutely harrased by the structural damage found on this aircraft i am presently inspecting. This particular aircraft is in for a 2 week check scheduled to end on the 20th. Due to this structural damage from toilet fluid leakage it is not expected to fly till the 30th at the earliest.
So the next time you'll fly and decide to take a pee, make sure it all ends in the bog, you can afford to miss at home not on the aircraft or else some miserable sod like myself has to end up repairing the structure under the toilets Twisted Evil

I had tell this to someone.............can't be discussing work with the missus especially effing structural damage from leaking toilets. Cheers

D-ABTH · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:37 am Post subject:

lambuhere1 · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:53 am Post subject:

HAWK21M · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 11:28 am Post subject:

Watching water leakage in the Galleys/Toilets.A structural AME would dread the Check C due on that Area.

Another Advantage why Freighters have less corrosion issues.

Is the reason for the toilets clogging only Misuse or was servicing not carried out when needed.

regds
MEL
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Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

karatecatman · Guest

This should never have happened.

What happened to the Air India "Potty video" screened thrice during the flight and on all West bound flights? This was a 5-minute animated step-by-step how to use the toilet and what not to do and throw into the bowl video.

This was one of the efffective inflight solutions thought up during the Rajan Jetley (with inputs from his wife and former Air India airhostess Rita Jetley) and Y.C. Deveshwar days after Air India faced a huge problem like this earlier. This problem was more so on the Airbus A310 fleet, especially on Air India Airbus A310 "Tista" (VT-EJH) where the entire toilet floor panel had massive corrosion and which was an issue raised with Airbus. The aircraft was grounded for about a fortnight.
After this video was introduced, toilet complaints just came by by 90%.

****
If this could happen on a B747, imagine this happening on Mallya's A380s. Am sure some Indian passengers will still be able to ruin the A380's revolutionary toilet waste disposal system.

Nimish · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject:

karatecatman · Guest

It's a mystery then. It was mandatory, especially on the 747 flights.

Recollect a part of the clipping in one of Mrniji's 747 take-off mpeg clips, where "xxx" marks kept appearing and flashing on objects like napkins and paper next to a toilet bowl, and then a voice over telling you not to drop them in.

Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

Aargh yes don't remind me of the potty video.....I saw it twice on both my flight legs Embarassed

tayaramecanici · Member Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 648

D-ABTH · Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 10:26 am Post subject:

malQ · Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 10:55 am Post subject:

I have seen this on EVA (BR) at Taipei and also with JetBlue at SJC . . . the gate agents walk around reminding people to please use the toilets at the terminal before boarding. There is nothing wrong with trying that in India too, especially if it can be done for children, elderly people, those who do not travel frequently.

Look at it from the passenger's point of view - s/he has been frazzled since an hour of two before deprture home, then go through the often first time in life wide-eyed awe-filled joy of crossing new experiences like parking at airports, security, baggage x-ray, excess baggage, airport tax, check-in, select seats, hand baggage regulations, customs, immigration, more security, more hand baggage screening, waiting in sanitised area not knowing if the flight will go without you or be delayed,pre-boarding tussles, amazement at boarding and then some more. So I think many of them simply forget to go to the loo in all this, and then on board, with pressurisation/de-pressurisation, the evacuations start.

If some polite staff can especially handle the obvious elderly, children, first-time travellers, they will be doing the aviation business in India a favour.

Then again, it could simply be somebody sabotaging the airline?

victor2alpha · Member Joined: 08 Apr 2007 Posts: 120

I just dont get! How can people do something like this.. Evil or Very Mad

I mean its so dumb even for a first-timer to do some crap. I thought people were supposed to be scared about the pressurized 'flush' Rolling Eyes

Or do they think, everything that you throw in there, the plane just drops it into the sky like the trains Twisted Evil

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victor2alpha

HAWK21M · Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject:

Structural corrosion cleaning is an important issue & has to be done properly.
Majority of corrosion issues creep up due to grey water seepage thru the Myla sheets from Galleys & Toilets.This creates the Check C Scares.

On the Contary Freighters use just one Toilet with Min use & leakage is much less.

I've attended major checks on both Pax & Freighters & the Difference is very visable.

regds
MEL
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Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

AI need to add an announcement to their already existing "how to use the loo" video, that screwing up the loo, or making a mess of the loo will result in an immediate fine.

Either that, or they employ a trained "maintenance professional" on board all long haul flights whose only job is to keep the lavs clean.

If you think that loos on a 9 hour flight to London end up reeking, just imagine how putrid the loos will end up on a 16 hour nonstop to New York. And we all know that AI's cabin crew are not about to do a Singapore girl and ensure that the loos are always kept clean on a long flight.

HAWK21M · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 12:25 am Post subject:

[quote="Jaysit"]

Either that, or they employ a trained "maintenance professional" on board all long haul flights whose only job is to keep the lavs clean.

[quote]
And how would that Mx expert perform Mx in Air. Smile

regds
MEL
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Think of the Brighter side !!!

787 · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 12:38 am Post subject:

I was told by one of the passenger that the water from one of the rear section toilet was flowing in the aisle an the F/As were using blankets to soak the water.(Because the were afraid of their saris getting wet)

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

[quote="HAWK21M"][quote="Jaysit"]

Either that, or they employ a trained "maintenance professional" on board all long haul flights whose only job is to keep the lavs clean.

malQ · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 8:22 am Post subject:

How difficult would it be from a design point of view to provide on airline toilets what is known as an "Orissa Pan" kind of toilet?

lambuhere1 · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 8:28 am Post subject:

MalQ

Whats this abt Orissa Pan kind of Loos

Something new I am hearing here.

Even though I was in Rourkela for 4 years, Never heard of it

Can you elaborate abt it please

Ram P

sammyk · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 8:45 am Post subject:

I think he means the traditional "hole in the floor" style of toilets.

Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

Sammyk is right

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:dZPF948O6EDUKM:http://www.cera-india.com/sanitaryware/regular_collection/ewcs_squatting_pans/orissa_pan/orissa_pan_2071or.jpg

stealthpilot · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 2325 Location: BLR, DXB

tayaramecanici · Member Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 648

HAWK21M · Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 7:31 am Post subject:

I guess more frequent servicing at Line Stations could eliminate this problem.
regds
MEL
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