A former Aer Lingus flight attendant is facing scrutiny following accusations he refused a passenger access to a lavatory during a flight delay, allegedly causing the passenger significant distress. The incident, which occurred on Flight EI-515 from Marseille to Dublin on April 9, 2024, is at the center of a case before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
According to testimony presented to the WRC, the passenger, a man in his 30s, requested to apply the restroom while the aircraft was being refueled. Senior flight attendant Alan O’Neill reportedly denied the request, citing safety concerns. Flight attendant Claire Durkan, a colleague of O’Neill’s, told the commission that the passenger then audibly expressed his frustration, saying “oh for f***’s sake” under his breath, though not directly to O’Neill.
Durkan further testified that an opportunity existed for the passenger to use the lavatory after refueling and before the plane’s pushback, but O’Neill did not grant permission. By the time the passenger was eventually allowed to use the toilet, the flight was already halfway back on its journey to Dublin and he was reportedly “reduced to tears.”
O’Neill is contesting his dismissal by Aer Lingus, bringing a complaint under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977. His trade union, Fórsa, has questioned the accuracy of recollections from other cabin crew members regarding the events of Flight EI-515. The airline’s defense centers on the events surrounding the incident with the passenger.
The delay itself stemmed from a problem with the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU) which initially impacted the outbound flight from Dublin and caused further delays while on the ground in France. Durkan also stated that passengers were initially held in a terminal area “apparently with no bathrooms” available while awaiting the inbound jet.
Aer Lingus has not yet responded to requests for further comment on the ongoing WRC proceedings.
