Thousands of Boeing 737 planes may need modification after a flight diverted when a passenger got stuck in a bathroom.
The Federal Aviation Administration published a notice on Friday proposing an airworthiness directive for 2,612 Boeing aircraft registered in the US.
It said it received a report that a passenger was trapped in a bathroom during a flight because a broken latch meant they couldn’t toggle the lock.
Flight attendants also couldn’t open the bifold door, so the pilots had to make an “unscheduled landing,” the FAA added.
Because damaged bathroom locks can trap passengers, the FAA warned an occupant could be at risk of serious injury in an “otherwise survivable emergency event” such as severe turbulence or a medical emergency.
The agency identified door latches with four different part numbers that it wants to be replaced.
It estimated this could cost airlines and other operators up to $3.4 million — including labor and new latches worth up to $481 each. Some or all of the costs could be covered under warranty.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The FAA’s notice applies to certain 737-700, 737-800, 737-900, 737-900ER, 737 Max 8, and 737 Max 9 aircraft.
According to data from Boeing’s website, 3,461 such planes have been delivered to US customers, suggesting three-quarters have potentially problematic latches.
The FAA has given stakeholders until May 27 to respond to the proposed directive.
While the agency didn’t give details about the flight which prompted this notice, it wouldn’t be the first time that bathroom issues have caused a diversion.
Last month, Air India passengers endured a nine-hour flight to nowhere. The New Delhi-bound plane turned back to Chicago because most of its toilets stopped working after somebody flushed bags, rags, and clothes.
And in February 2024, eight of the nine bathrooms stopped working on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles — forcing the plane to U-turn over the Atlantic Ocean.
Read the full article here
