Austrian Airlines 777 turns back after toilet system failures

Well, I'm betting that was a crappy flight.

[Todd Chester stares in horror at Eddie draining the RV toilet]
Eddie: Merry Christmas. Sh*tter was full.

I was TDY to the Cayman Islands on a KC-135 (with a camper toilet) for an airshow static display. We had a ton of Space A pax and there was a constant stream of them using the toilet even though they had been briefed that the "facilities" were very limited and to only use if absolutely necessary. But they just kept using it. Upon arrival, we found out there was no fleet service available and we couldn't empty the toilet. The plane sat in the Caribbean sun for three days percolating. When it came time to go home, the plane stunk to high heaven. It was enough to literally make one nauseous. The pilots used oxygen the whole way home to ORD and the passengers kept whining about the smell. I told them that they had been advised not to the toilet but they didn't listen, and now the toilet was totally off limits for the entire flight home. The battery box is located in the latrine and there are a couple of vents tubes capped off in there. I took all the caps off so suction would pull the stench out but it was so bad, that was no help. That was probably one of the absolute worst flights I've ever been on. I mean it was so bad you could almost taste it. Gah.

Ok Maintenance guys what was the most likely cause for this??

Obviously the flight crew was "flushed" with success after landing safely back in Vienna.

On wide body international flights. Aircraft serviced before flight. Tanks drained, fluid filled. My aircraft had a forward and aft system. Total of six laboratories. All 6 working preferred, one on MEL okay. Systems are complex. Faulty sensors for a variety of reasons can shut down Lav’s. Passengers do as well. Better to turn back and fix the problem, instead of diverting in flight with overflowing toilets. Good flights.

Man, I had a similar experience back in the late ought's on a United 747 flight from Chicago to Beijing over the top. For some reason after a few hours into the flight the tanks showed full (not so sure why it took so long to see it). They gave Business and First customers a choice to land in Alaska (the crew would have timed out), turn back or keep going. Well they stopped all food service and limited drink service. I can tell you it got nasty, people peeing in sinks, using air sickness bags for the other. Afterwards I am not sure if anyone would choose to continue on if given a mulligan. Got lots of bonus FF points for that one though!

Sh*tty situation.

Cue: [Todd Chester stares in horror at Eddie draining the RV toilet]
Eddie: Merry Christmas. Sh*tter was full.

In a change from the usual announcement "Is there a doctor onboard ?" it should have been, "Is there a plumber on board ?"

I'd like to know why in one of the examples given in the article, there were 85 plumbers on board one flight. LOL

From what I’ve seen, the main culprit is, more often than not, someone putting a used diaper down the toilet.

Diversion flight: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/AUA89/history/20230417/0850Z/LOWW/LOWW

Equally crappy, AC 34 on April 18 flying SYD to YVR had to divert to HNL due to inop toilets.

Ground crew in SYD forgot to drain the tanks, pilots realized they wouldn't make it to YVR with the head capacity they had left, so diverted, dumped fuel, drained the tanks, topped off with fuel and departed about an hour later.

Dunno if the B77 has any sort of bilge level indicators but, if they do, they weren't checked pre-flight.

From what I’ve seen, the main culprit is, more often than not, someone putting a used diaper down the toilet, causing a blockage.

Whew, I thought for sure someone hadn't put the seat up for the women on the flight!!