Woman defecates in her seat on AirAsia flight with toilet just 5 meters away
AirAsia said it disinfected the cabin of a Shanghai-bound flight after a woman defecated in her seat during the descent, leaving passengers with the smell for the last 40 minutes of the overnight service.
Flight AK1516 departed Kota Kinabalu for Shanghai's Pudong International Airport on August 18 at approximately 10:30 PM. The flight was intended to arrive around 3 AM the following morning. Passengers began sharing their experiences on Chinese social media on August 19.
A passenger named Zhuo, seated with his wife, shared that the unpleasant smell began 40 to 50 minutes before touchdown, waking passengers in adjacent rows. The woman in question was estimated to be in her 40s and sat in the middle seat between two boys, around 10 years old. It was around 2 AM when the incident occurred; the woman hurried towards the toilet, carrying a bag. Shortly after, a distinct odor emerged.
Passengers initially believed someone had thrown up, but Zhuo's wife suspected one of the boys, who were still asleep. The crew became aware of the situation after a passenger in the row ahead pointed out waste on the floor. The woman had used a plastic bag, but the contents had spilled onto the aisle carpet and her seat.
Upon being confronted by angry passengers, she claimed she was unwell and asked who never gets sick. The toilet was located about five meters away and had not been closed. A crew member cleaned the area and sprayed air freshener; however, the smell persisted. The cabin remained stifling for the following 40 minutes as passengers crowded near the door once the plane was on the ground and taxiing to a halt.
AirAsia confirmed in a statement issued on August 21 that cabin crew discovered an abnormal hygiene situation in the aisle as the aircraft prepared to land. They prioritized a safe landing while performing a basic cleanup with gloves and towels. The captain and ground team were notified upon landing, and cleaners disinfected the area after all passengers had disembarked.
The airline's general manager for China, Frank Tang Ting, praised the professionalism, composure, and speed of the cabin crew in handling the incident, emphasizing the company's commitment to passenger safety and well-being.
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