Passengers on flight were left desperately rushing to the loo after attendants allegedly handed out prune juice that acted like a powerful laxative, though the airline has denied some of the claims
Passengers were left frantically racing for the toilet after cabin crew distributed prune juice that reportedly functioned like a potent laxative.
Lengthy queues allegedly formed outside the aircraft’s two lavatories as stomachs started gurgling throughout the crowded cabin. One unwitting traveller claimed he confused the beverage for regular grape juice and downed it without hesitation.
It was only upon finishing the bottle that he realised what he had consumed – before witnessing the frantic rush for the toilets commence. The peculiar incidents reportedly took place on a China Southern Airlines flight from Wuhan to Urumqi, China, on 1 August.
Passengers took to social media to share their experiences following the in-flight drinks service, as reported by Creatorzine. One person wrote: “Why hand out prune juice when there are just two toilets for over 100 people? You nearly made me embarrass myself.”
Another person added: “My intestines have never been this clean in my entire life.” A third user joked: “China Southern is so thoughtful. Free gut cleanse and weight-loss service for all passengers.”
Some flyers claimed the effects persisted even after landing. One passenger reportedly bolted to the toilet at the airport before needing to make another sprint after arriving at their hotel. Prune juice contains high levels of sorbitol – a sugar alcohol that can pull water into the gut and have a laxative effect.
A doctor reportedly stated that consuming more than around 10g could trigger diarrhoea in healthy individuals. However, airline staff later expressed that they couldn’t fully confirm the claims surrounding the specific flight and labelled some online reports as inaccurate and exaggerated.
A customer service representative commented: “Aircraft meals and drinks are based on what is actually provided on board. Not every flight serves prune juice. Common options are coffee, ordinary fruit juice or soy milk.”
They highlighted that passengers also have the option to choose alternatives including water. The airline also alleged that images circulating online showing lengthy toilet queues had been exaggerated and said no passengers had formally complained of suffering from diarrhoea.
There has been no official declaration of an internal review, catering audit or investigation into the incident. The 100ml juice packs reportedly originated from a brand that has supplied airlines for years.
Its packaging resembled that of regular fruit juice and reportedly carried no warning about its potential laxative effects. But passengers claimed they discovered the hard way that not every complimentary in-flight juice is as innocent as it appears.