Transatlantic Boeing Flight Reverses Course After Nearly Every Bathroom Stops Working

Bathrooms are a must when traveling, especially on an 11-hour flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles.

The latest headache for tortured American aircraft manufacturer Boeing led to even more for 200-plus passengers aboard a KLM flight from the Netherlands to California on Monday after the 787 Dreamliner was forced to turn around after eight of the nine bathrooms on board stopped functioning.

Data from trusted flight-tracking service Flightradar24 appears to suggest that the plane's pilots considered heading back to Amsterdam after first learning of the issue as early as an hour into the flight, circling north of the UK before continuing west.

However, the plane ultimately turned back over Greenland and landed in Amsterdam after six-plus hours in the sky.

Dutch flag carrier KLM replaced the 787 with another aircraft, getting passengers off the ground nine hours behind schedule.

Flightradar24 data shows that the affected plane was quickly fixed overnight and flew to Houston and back on Tuesday.

The untimely hiccup for Boeing comes in the wake of a disastrous stretch for its 737 MAX 9 aircraft, which has impacted air traveler confidence and prompted major airlines to rethink their growth strategies.

---

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Topics From This Article to Explore