British Airways has continued to operate a Boeing 777 aircraft despite nearly half of its toilets being out of service, according to passenger and crew accounts. The aircraft, which services long-haul routes of approximately 11 hours from London Heathrow to destinations including the United States and India, currently has only six of its ten lavatories functioning.

Onboard passengers in First and Club classes face access to just two working toilets for about 84 travelers, while the 170 passengers seated in World Traveller class share three operational lavatories. The reduced number of available restrooms has reportedly caused long queues, prompting discomfort during flights at cruising altitudes around 30,000 feet. The affected aircraft also lacks wifi connectivity, further limiting passenger amenities during the journey.

Passengers said they were not informed of the issues prior to booking their flights, with many receiving only a standardized apology from crew members upon landing. One cabin crew member described the situation as “unacceptable,” criticizing the airline for not being transparent about the aircraft’s condition.

British Airways acknowledged the problem, stating that it has apologized to customers impacted by the maintenance shortcomings and has extended a gesture to compensate for the inconvenience. The airline confirmed it is working to address the faults and aims to repair the aircraft within a few days.

The operation of aircraft with functional deficiencies raises questions about passenger comfort and service standards on premium international routes. British Airways did not disclose the root cause of the lavatory malfunctions or detail any plans to prevent similar situations in the future.