Flight attendant advises passengers to flush anything they shouldn't have before landing

Airplane lavatory sign (Thinkstock)
Airplane lavatory sign (Thinkstock)

A flight attendant with Jetstar Airways in Australia is facing criticism after reportedly advising passengers that if they have "anything you shouldn't have," they should flush it before landing.

The plane was carrying many passengers who'd attended the popular Splendour in the Grass music festival in Australia on Sunday.

The attendant reportedly told passengers that sniffer dogs and quarantine officers were on the ground waiting at the terminal in Sydney, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The announcement reportedly sparked a rush for the airplane lavatories.

A spokesperson for Jetstar apologized for the casual nature of the flight attendant's remarks and said the attendant was complying with a rule that upcoming quarantines must be announced to passengers before landing.

Still, Jetstar said the words were "poorly chosen and plainly at odds with the professional standards we'd expect from our team."

While Jetstar is making apologies, some people are applauding the flight attendant for looking out for the passengers. On Jetstar's Facebook page, words of support came flooding in.

One fan wrote, "Kudos to any flight attendant who notifies passengers of sniffer dogs at the terminal; for those people who have a fear/phobia of dogs, getting a snout unexpectedly thrust in one's crotch or even being confronted by an unexpected canine can be terrifying and debilitating to the point of necessitating medical attention. Thank you!"

Another wrote, "just read about your flight attendant's unscheduled drug warning — that's what is called forward thinking and true customer service!"

Still not everyone believes the attendant did the right thing. One passenger told the Daily Telegraph, "Why would you tip people off about this? If they have got something illegal, let them get caught."

Follow Mike Krumboltz on Twitter (@mikekrumboltz).