Narrative:

Passenger was in lavatory for landing. Circumstances: during the first beverage service; we heard repeated call button chimes. Since we didn't see a blue light at the annunciator panel; we figured it was a mistake. However; we still heard repeated call button chimes. We figured out that it was the lavatory call light; aft lavatory aircraft right. I went to respond to it. There was a passenger in the lavatory; and stated that he was sick; possible food poisoning at departing airport; and needed some assistance; specifically some towels to clean himself and the lavatory up. My response was to take care of the passenger's needs. However; he seemed more concerned about getting himself and the lavatory clean; so I obliged him. Later; he asked me if we had any disinfectant to clean the lavatory. I asked 'a' flight attendant to bring up the lavatory spray sanitizer from the wind screen and I gave it to the passenger. Again; he was very concerned about making sure that the lavatory was clean and disinfected. Finally; he asked me if we had anything on board the aircraft to clean blood. I proceeded to tell him what we normally do with bodily fluids on board the aircraft. We clean bodily fluids with towels and dispose of them in a biohazard bag. He wasn't satisfied with my answer and wanted to speak with the 'a' flight attendant. This is where 'a' flight attendant took over. After 'a' flight attendant dealt with the passenger; he informed me that the passenger had hepatitis C and was concerned about the lavatory being disinfected before anyone can use it. Unfortunately; we did not have anything on board the aircraft to adequately disinfect the lavatory to the liking of the passenger. Action: 'a' flight attendant discussed the situation with the flight deck. They decided to lock off the lavatory and have the lavatory disinfected in sea. The lavatory would be for the specific use of that particular passenger and did not allow anyone else to use it. Just prior to 10000 ft; the passenger was in the lavatory and remained in there until our landing in sea. The passenger felt it would be safer for him to remain in the lavatory in case he would feel sick for the rest of the flight. The captain was in agreement; for his safety as well as the safety of the other passenger on board.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CABIN CREW REPORTS PASSENGER WHO HAS BEEN SICK IN THE LAV AND STATES THAT HE HAS HEPATITIS C.

Narrative: PAX WAS IN LAVATORY FOR LNDG. CIRCUMSTANCES: DURING THE FIRST BEVERAGE SVC; WE HEARD REPEATED CALL BUTTON CHIMES. SINCE WE DIDN'T SEE A BLUE LIGHT AT THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL; WE FIGURED IT WAS A MISTAKE. HOWEVER; WE STILL HEARD REPEATED CALL BUTTON CHIMES. WE FIGURED OUT THAT IT WAS THE LAVATORY CALL LIGHT; AFT LAVATORY ACFT R. I WENT TO RESPOND TO IT. THERE WAS A PAX IN THE LAVATORY; AND STATED THAT HE WAS SICK; POSSIBLE FOOD POISONING AT DEPARTING ARPT; AND NEEDED SOME ASSISTANCE; SPECIFICALLY SOME TOWELS TO CLEAN HIMSELF AND THE LAVATORY UP. MY RESPONSE WAS TO TAKE CARE OF THE PAX'S NEEDS. HOWEVER; HE SEEMED MORE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING HIMSELF AND THE LAVATORY CLEAN; SO I OBLIGED HIM. LATER; HE ASKED ME IF WE HAD ANY DISINFECTANT TO CLEAN THE LAVATORY. I ASKED 'A' FLT ATTENDANT TO BRING UP THE LAVATORY SPRAY SANITIZER FROM THE WIND SCREEN AND I GAVE IT TO THE PAX. AGAIN; HE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE LAVATORY WAS CLEAN AND DISINFECTED. FINALLY; HE ASKED ME IF WE HAD ANYTHING ON BOARD THE ACFT TO CLEAN BLOOD. I PROCEEDED TO TELL HIM WHAT WE NORMALLY DO WITH BODILY FLUIDS ON BOARD THE ACFT. WE CLEAN BODILY FLUIDS WITH TOWELS AND DISPOSE OF THEM IN A BIOHAZARD BAG. HE WASN'T SATISFIED WITH MY ANSWER AND WANTED TO SPEAK WITH THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT. THIS IS WHERE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT TOOK OVER. AFTER 'A' FLT ATTENDANT DEALT WITH THE PAX; HE INFORMED ME THAT THE PAX HAD HEPATITIS C AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LAVATORY BEING DISINFECTED BEFORE ANYONE CAN USE IT. UNFORTUNATELY; WE DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING ON BOARD THE ACFT TO ADEQUATELY DISINFECT THE LAVATORY TO THE LIKING OF THE PAX. ACTION: 'A' FLT ATTENDANT DISCUSSED THE SITUATION WITH THE FLT DECK. THEY DECIDED TO LOCK OFF THE LAVATORY AND HAVE THE LAVATORY DISINFECTED IN SEA. THE LAVATORY WOULD BE FOR THE SPECIFIC USE OF THAT PARTICULAR PAX AND DID NOT ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO USE IT. JUST PRIOR TO 10000 FT; THE PAX WAS IN THE LAVATORY AND REMAINED IN THERE UNTIL OUR LNDG IN SEA. THE PAX FELT IT WOULD BE SAFER FOR HIM TO REMAIN IN THE LAVATORY IN CASE HE WOULD FEEL SICK FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. THE CAPT WAS IN AGREEMENT; FOR HIS SAFETY AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF THE OTHER PAX ON BOARD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.