Passenger’s Illness Rendered Aircraft Lavatory Unusable

An unusual incident in the United States last summer led to the cancellation of a United Airlines flight. Author and actress Meghan Reinertsen admitted that she suffered a severe bout of norovirus on the Newark (NJ) – Indianapolis route, which rendered the aircraft’s lavatory unusable.

Reinertsen had flown from Portugal to Newark and boarded her connecting flight to Indianapolis. Within the first half-hour of the journey, she experienced severe stomach pain, sweating, and cramps. Ignoring the seatbelt sign, she rushed to the lavatory, where she endured around 20 minutes of intense diarrhoea and vomiting. When the situation became uncontrollable, she called for assistance from the cabin crew.

The crew provided her with rubbish bags and allowed her to remain in the lavatory for the rest of the flight. Upon arrival in Indianapolis, the aircraft’s next scheduled service was cancelled due to suspected infectious disease, and a hazardous materials team was brought in to carry out cleaning.

Reinertsen stated that her illness was caused by an undercooked hamburger she had eaten before returning home. United Airlines confirmed the incident, saying:

“Our flight crew are trained to assist customers in situations like this and did their utmost to help both during the flight and upon arrival.”