A KLM Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner bound for Los Angeles made a u-turn over the Atlantic after all the lavatories malfunctioned…then another u-turn…then a third one. This is quite a toilet tale.
KLM 787-10 Flight To Nowhere: Flight Makes Three U-Turns Over Atlantic Due To Broken Lavatories
On Monday, February 12, 2024, KLM flight 601 from Amsterdam (AMS) to Los Angeles (LAX) took off at 10:28 AM. The flight was operated by a 787-10, registration code BH-BKF (only four years old).
Let’s first review the flight path. About an hour into the flight, the aircraft made a u-turn back for Amsterdam. But then the plane made another 180º turn and again headed for Los Angeles. Two more hours passed. Once again, the decision was made to turn the aircraft back toward Amsterdam. This time, there was no further u-turns: the flight landed at Amsterdam Schiphol about six hours after it took off.
So what happened?
Felix Cervantes, a Live And Let’s Fly reader, was on the flight and kept me updated via X:
@SecretaryPete, @KLM #KL601 diverts back to AMS over the North Sea with no bathrooms. When 1 bathroom starts working, captain decides to resume his flight to LAX. 1 bathroom is the same as none. Do the math, not enough time in 10 hrs for everyone to go. @CNN @carlquintanilla pic.twitter.com/L6Hitn4yYd
— Felix Cervantes (@felixcervantes) February 12, 2024
One bathroom for (up to) 344 passengers?
No. Way.
The captain finally realized the “mathematical problem” of only having one functional lavatory onboard.
@KLM #KL601 saga: we are diverting a 2nd time over Greenland! Told purser that 1 bathroom is like having none. Captain finally realized the mathematical problem. @SecretaryPete @garyleff @LiveandLetsFly @cnn @SecretFlying @nytimes @DailyMirror pic.twitter.com/yqRimw9dX1
— Felix Cervantes (@felixcervantes) February 12, 2024
Did the captain hope that more lavatories would suddenly come back online like the one did?
In any case, it is unfortunate the flight crew (or management) did not opt to divert an hour into the flight. You simply need more lavatories that on a flight, especially when you provide food and drink throughout the flight (you can read my economy class review of this same flight…without a diversion…here)
> Read More: KLM 787-10 Economy Class Review AMS-LAX
It made total sense, though, to return to Amsterdam rather than divert to an outstation like Reykjavik (KEF) or London Heathrow (LHR). Not only is Schiphol Airport a maintenance and crew base for KLM, but to its great credit, KLM had a new aircraft and crew lined up:
To @KLM credit, there was a plane and crew waiting at AMS when the plane landed. Plane arrived at LAX about 9pm local time on Feb. 12.
— Felix Cervantes (@felixcervantes) February 13, 2024
That still made for a long day, but it could have been worse.
CONCLUSION
A KLM 787-10 made three u-turns over the Atlantic after the lavatories onboard malfunctioned. This was a messy delay to be sure…but passengers on KL601 made it to LA about eight hours late.
The lesson here is that even with a 50% load factor it is not reasonable to operate a 11-hour transatlantic flight with only one operational lavatory.
KLM management needs a math and brain refresher , and the passengers need a hot shower refresher and a change of underwear . The airplane seats then need a deep cleaning .
Thanks for sharing Felix. Was there a lottery for lav slots?
Why is he tagging Secretary Pete on his Twitter? What does he have to do with a Dutch plane having issues with its bathrooms over EU air space?
It makes sense, he is a LALF reader and thus would have strong feelings for Mayor Pete, positively or otherwise lmao
What is it with Amsterdam lately?
One restroom for 344 people is workable, get in, get out. But unfortunately we have people who feel it’s totally acceptable to take a dump on a plane and camp out in the restroom.
Felix sounds like another crybaby looking for attention with all his tagging of others.
Really @Dave Edwards? Do the math, most people cannot go to the bathroom in under three minutes. Older men have prostate issues and take some time. If you had kidney stones or kidney disease, most likely will need to go to the bathroom more often. You expect a women to go in under three minutes? No one to clean their hands after using the toilet? At the three minute mark, that means that toilet can only handle 20 people per hour under ideal conditions. There was over three hundred people on board for ten hours remaining flight. It would have taken over 15 hours to cycle everyone through one time, not the 2 or 3 times required. Even if they could go in 2 minutes, it still would take over 10 hours to cycle through everyone once. Their solution? Drink less fluids which is a medical no-no.
What’s wrong with KLM? First,Ben was forced to take a premium economy meal while traveling business class to Johannesburg. I would hesitate to think the captain was suggesting to pax to void using empty bottles and sinks instead of commodes. BM on emesis bags and used tissues on meal trays after eating.
So once again,this is nothing compared to the lufthansa a380 forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger coughed up and spewed litres of blood all over the cabin,then died!Naturally there was pandemonium in the cabin,people screaming,etc. From all accounts he was a German tourist returning home after a holiday in Thailand,he began his trip in perfect health.
This time it’s AIRBUS’ fault; sabotaging the flight.
Were lavatories really defect?
Or did ground Crew forget to empty tanks before departure?
That’s a reasonable question indeed.
At AMS, they had trouble starting the plane. I counted three major complete restarts to get the plane online. I spoke with the captain in AMS and he said it took so many restarts to clear all the faults. Apparently the bathrooms not coming back online did not show up as a fault.