American Airlines flight 37 diverts to JFK after six restrooms fail

American Airlines Flight 37 diverted to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on October 6 after six of the aircraft's eight lavatories ceased to function while en route from Madrid, Spain, to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The diversion was confirmed by an American Airlines spokesperson, who cited an issue with the aircraft's lavatories as the reason for the change in plans.

The extent of the mechanical failure was documented in communications between the cockpit and air traffic control, which were streamed by LiveATC.net. When a controller inquired about the necessity of the diversion, the pilot confirmed that only two lavatories remained operational. "You said only two potties, is that right?" the controller asked. "That's affirmative," the pilot responded. The remaining two functional units were the only options available to passengers during the transatlantic leg of the journey.

The aircraft landed safely at JFK and subsequently underwent a maintenance inspection. According to American Airlines, the plane later re-departed for Dallas Fort Worth following that inspection. The airline stated that it apologizes for the inconvenience and noted that it never wants to disrupt customer travel plans.

Steven Arroyo, an aviation expert and retired airline captain based in Florida, explained to Fox News Digital that passenger comfort and hygiene heavily influenced the pilot’s decision to divert. Arroyo noted that from a safety perspective, long lines for restrooms can present security protocol problems, particularly if the seat belt sign is turned on while passengers remain standing in line. Because the flight was international, Arroyo explained that the pilots needed to divert to a U.S. gateway airport with customs and immigration services, such as JFK, Newark (EWR), Philadelphia (PHL), or Boston (BOS), to allow maintenance personnel to board and repair the aircraft.

The incident prompted discussion among travelers online regarding similar experiences with restroom failures. One Reddit user described a cross-country flight on a 757 where a single passenger clogged two separate lavatories, leading the crew to warn that another failure would force a diversion. Another commenter shared an account of a relative on a flight from Punta Cana to Philadelphia that departed with no functioning bathrooms. The crew on that flight announced there would be no beverage service due to the lack of working restrooms.

Fox News Digital previously reported on a separate disruption involving a British Airways flight from London to Chicago. The Boeing 777 dropped from an altitude of approximately 27,000 feet before returning to London, a maneuver attributed by the carrier to a technical problem. Data from flight trackers indicated the plane stayed in the air for several hours prior to touching down at London Heathrow Airport.