TOKYO — Passengers faced an uncomfortable wait for their flights at one of the world’s busiest airports on Friday, with up to 70 percent of toilets at Terminal 2 of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport reportedly out of order.
A spokesman for airport operator Japan Airport Terminal confirmed the plumbing problem to Agence France-Presse (AFP) and said that by mid-afternoon, 51 out of 144 toilet areas were still affected.
The problem was caused by electrical issues with pumps supplying water to the facilities, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity.
“We were notified by staff around 5 a.m. (local time),” the spokesman said, adding that the problem took 11 hours to resolve.
“Running water was available at sinks, where people wash their hands, but not at many toilets,” he said.
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“Our staff directed our guests to functioning toilets. In some cases, our staff used buckets to wash toilets after use,” the spokesman added.
Passengers expressed panic on social media.
“I’m glad I made it to Haneda safely… but I can’t use the toilet. This is an emergency,” one user wrote on X.
“Most toilets in Terminal 2 are out of order… As someone with a sensitive stomach, this is a pain,” said another.
A third person said there were long lines for the toilet at the airport’s train station, describing “utter chaos at Haneda Terminal 2.”
AloJapan.com