A former Aer Lingus flight attendant is at the center of a dispute before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) after allegedly denying a passenger access to a lavatory during a flight delay, an incident that reportedly left the passenger in tears. The case, involving senior flight attendant Alan O’Neill, centers on events that unfolded on Flight EI-515 from Marseille to Dublin on April 9, 2024.
The dispute began when a passenger requested to use the restroom immediately after boarding, while the aircraft was undergoing refueling. According to testimony presented to the WRC, O’Neill refused the request, citing safety regulations. Flight attendant Claire Durkan told the commission that the passenger responded with an expletive, uttering “oh for f***’s sake” under his breath, though not directly to O’Neill.
Durkan testified that a suitable opportunity to allow the passenger to use the lavatory existed between the completion of refueling and the plane’s preparation for departure. However, she stated that O’Neill did not offer this option. The passenger subsequently attempted to access a forward lavatory while the seatbelt sign was still illuminated, but was again prevented from doing so by O’Neill.
Another cabin crew member, Joan O’Gorman, expressed surprise at O’Neill’s actions, describing it as “strange that he wasn’t letting [the passenger] go.” O’Gorman further stated that the light indicating availability for the forward lavatory was “definitely green” at the time the passenger attempted to use it.
The situation escalated when O’Neill allegedly told the passenger, “You can’t go to the toilet. I’ll tell you whenever you can go to the toilet.” O’Neill’s own written account of the incident claims the passenger initially “tried to push past me on boarding to use the toilet during fuelling” and that two verbal warnings were issued before a “Dip 1 form” – a written warning for disruptive passengers – was considered. Durkan’s testimony recounts the passenger offering his boarding pass only upon being granted access to the restroom, a condition O’Neill reportedly refused to meet.
Durkan estimated the initial denial of access lasted approximately 45 to 50 minutes, though she later conceded this timeframe might be an overestimation, with counsel for the airline suggesting it could have been as short as 10 minutes. O’Gorman testified that the passenger eventually used a lavatory at the rear of the plane roughly halfway through the flight, visibly upset and crying. She stated she had never before witnessed a male passenger of that age crying due to an interaction with cabin crew.
The case, which is expected to continue for two more days this week, is being heard by adjudication officer Michael MacNamee. O’Neill is not currently scheduled to provide evidence until later in the year. Aer Lingus is represented by Katie Rooney of Arthur Cox, while Alan O’Neill’s trade union, Fórsa, is represented by Jennifer McCarthy of Daniel Spring &. Co.
