Passenger's Toilet Incident Leaves AirAsia Flight Reeking
A female passenger defecated on an AirAsia seat during flight AK1516 from Kota Kinabalu to Shanghai on August 18, leaving nearby travelers enduring the odor for 40 minutes despite a lavatory being just meters away. The airline cleaned the a
An unexpected incident unfolded aboard an AirAsia flight traveling from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia to Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China when a female passenger defecated on an airplane seat, causing an unpleasant odor to spread throughout the cabin. Nearby passengers reported having to endure the smell for nearly 40 minutes, despite the passenger's seat being less than 5 meters away from the lavatory.
The incident occurred on flight AK1516, which departed Kota Kinabalu Airport on August 18 at 22:30 and arrived at Shanghai Pudong Airport around 03:00 the following day. A couple sitting nearby revealed that the woman was traveling with children and said she was ill and unwell. The husband, using a pseudonym Mr. Li, stated that the odor in the cabin was severe and passengers had to tolerate it for nearly 40 minutes, even though the seat was no more than 5 meters from the lavatory.
Another passenger interviewed by Chinese media provided additional details, reporting that the incident occurred around 02:00 when many passengers were sleeping. The woman rushed to the lavatory with two children carrying a bag, and shortly after, an unpleasant odor spread throughout the area. Initially, some passengers thought someone had vomited before discovering feces on the carpet and around the seat.
Witnesses reported that the incident happened while the cabin was relatively dark and the lavatories were functioning normally. Crew members subsequently collected visible waste from the floor and attempted to spray air freshener to manage the odor in the area. The witnesses stated they received no compensation from the airline, and after contacting AirAsia's headquarters in Guangzhou to report the incident, they did not receive a response. They noted they had paid nearly 127 yuan (approximately 600 baht) extra to sit together, only to face the unpleasant odor for the remainder of the flight.
AirAsia issued a statement on August 21 confirming that flight AK1516 departed Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on August 18 and headed to Shanghai. During landing preparations, crew discovered "sanitary irregularities in the cabin aisle." The airline stated that since the flight was preparing to land, crew prioritized aircraft safety and initially cleaned the area using gloves and cloth. After landing, crew reported the incident to the captain and ground staff for further cleaning. Once all passengers disembarked, cleaning staff thoroughly sanitized and disinfected the affected area. Crew members on the return flight were also informed of the incident and cabin conditions. Tang Tang, general manager of AirAsia China, noted that while the situation was unusual, crew maintained focus on safety and passenger experience.
