Thousands of Boeing 737 planes may need modification after a flight was diverted when a passenger got stuck in a bathroom.
The Federal Aviation Administration published a notice on Friday proposing an airworthiness directive for 2,612 Boeing aircraft registered in the US. The FAA said it received a report that a passenger was trapped in a bathroom during a flight because the door had a broken latch and they couldn't open the door.
Flight attendants also couldn't open the bifold door, so the pilots had to make an "unscheduled landing," 'the FAA said. If a passenger is trapped in a bathroom, the FAA said they could be at risk of serious injury in an "otherwise survivable emergency event" such as severe turbulence or a medical emergency
The agency identified door latches with four different part numbers that it said should be replaced.
The FAA estimated that could cost airlines and other operators up to $3.4 million including labor and new latches worth up to $481 each. Some or all of the costs could be covered under warranty. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The FAA's notice applies to certain 737-700, 737-800, 737-900, 737-900ER, 737 Max 8, and 737 Max 9 aircraft.
Boeing's website says that 3,461 of those planes have been delivered to US customers. The FAA's directive suggests that up to three-quarters of those planes have potentially problematic latches
The FAA has given stakeholders until May 27 to respond to the proposed directive.
While the agency didn't provide details about the flight that prompted the notice it wouldn't be the first time that bathroom issues have caused a diversion.
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