Stench Filled The Cabin, Pilot Turned The Plane Around

The pilot of a Virgin Australia flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne on Sunday turned his airplane around after one of the plane's lavatories malfunctioned, filling the cabin with a foul odor.

The airline said that there were no hygiene issues from the "freshwater overflow" aboard the Boeing 777 operating as Flight VA2, according to newscom.au. But three hours into the flight, there was liquid running down the aisle of the plane, and passengers donned their oxygen masks to escape the smell.

Virgin Australia said that the water came from a sink, not a toilet. The drain had apparently been blocked by a toothpaste cap, the airline said. A spokeswoman said that there were no safety issues with the plane, and that the 777 had been "inspected by engineers and cleared to return to service."

The passengers were accommodated overnight and were able to make the trip to Australia the next day. One passenger, however, said that the travel voucher offered by Virgin Australia needs to be a good one. New Zealand resident Julia Malley said on her Facebook page "I had to sit in crap for six hours wearing a face mask."

FMI: www.virginaustralia.com