MAKING A SPLASH: A Sydney Airport aircraft lavatory service worker battles to clear the dangerous blockage that caused the latest in a litany of airborne dramas to plague Australia's embattled national airline. Photo: Mora Cliches

Passengers have spoken of their fear when a blocked toilet on a Qantas 747 meant first class passengers had to share ablutions with some economy passengers.

The fault that sent effluent spilling onto a toilet floor during a Qantas flight to Argentina forced the plane to return to Sydney in the latest of a series of  problems to beset the airline.

Flight QF17, bound for Buenos Aires with 199 passengers, flew out of Sydney at 11.11am yesterday, but was forced to turn back one hour into the flight because of the plumbing fault.

It is the fifth in-flight or pre-flight incident for the airline since an engine exploded during a Sydney-bound flight from Singapore 11 days ago.

Passengers said they first became aware of any problem after an unpleasant odour wafted through the aircraft and cabin crew put an “out of order” sign on the door of the toilet, located near the middle of the aircraft, not far from the wing and potentially deadly Rolls Royce engines.

It was then the captain announced the plane, acquired by the airline in 2003 (two years after the deadly 9-11 attacks in the United States that killed more than 3000 people) was turning back to Sydney, where it was cleared to make a priority landing in heavy rain at 1.22pm.

First class passenger Terence Pratt, a Sydney lawyer, said passengers became concerned when they noticed the economy passengers using the first class toilets.

”We were pretty bloody concerned and they did tell us it would be all OK, but we weren’t sure,” he said. ”They even opened the curtains between first class and economy.

“It really hit home when we landed and the plane was met by aircraft lavatory service trucks with orange lights flashing. It was like something from those old Airport movies. I think I’ll buy a Tatts ticket this week.”

Arrangements were then made to have all passengers on another plane that flew out at 5pm. However, that flight was then delayed by an hour and a half because of runway problems at Sydney Airport. An unnamed aviation expert said it is no coincidence that the runway at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport is used by Qantas aircraft everyday; some of which have been maintained overseas.

”It is certainly frustrating,” said another passenger, Jack Meeoff. He said the first time they were given a reason for turning back was when the captain walked through the aircraft after they had landed to inspect the stricken toilet and complained that his new RM Williams boots were ruined.

A Qantas spokesman said engineers would determine the cause of the incident. He rejected reports the aircraft lost toilet pressure because someone had laid a log the size of a Dachshund.

The matter had also been referred to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, the Air Transport Safety Bureau and Sydney Water.

Apologies to the SMH.

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