Fremantle Dockers players forced to use sinks for toilets on flight home from Launceston amid water shortage

Fremantle general manager of football Joe Brierty says a debacle where players and staff were forced to urinate in a sink on a flight home from Launceston was “not appropriate”. And an AFL spokesperson says they are “extremely disappointed” by the incident, joining the Transport Workers Union, which slammed the conditions of the flight as “unacceptable” in a statement on Thursday. Dockers players and staff were caught short after their chartered National Jet Express flight ran out of water just 30 minutes into their four-hour journey following the team’s loss to Hawthorn, resulting in the plane’s toilets malfunctioning. Cabin crew were forced to manually scoop toilet waste into basins, with passengers instructed to use basins for urination in a breach of hygiene standards. Brierty said on Thursday the club had “moved on pretty quickly” from the incident. “We were about an hour into a return flight home and they informed us that the tanks were full, our players could still use the toilets, but obviously they were filling up along the flight,” he said. “It led to the staff having to do some things to make sure we could manage the entire flight home. “It wasn’t appropriate really in terms of having those facilities you need to be at a standard level where people can travel home at a standard level for the passengers but also the staff, but it was managed in the best way it possibly could have and obviously the AFL are now investigating it and will make sure the appropriate facilities are available for clubs when they’re on charters moving forward. “I can’t talk to specifics, they were informed by staff about different things they could do in navigating the flight, but it was obviously what had to happen in terms of getting home, but I’m not sure of the exact specifics that all players had to do.” In a statement provided to The West Australian, AFL spokesperson Jay Allen revealed the league has addressed the matter directly with the charter company and were now waiting on the results of their internal investigation. “The AFL was left extremely disappointed after a charter flight from Launceston to Perth last weekend provided inadequate facilities for players, club staff and airline team members on board,” he said. “We have expressed this directly with the charter company and are awaiting the results of their investigation. “We thank staff and players from the Fremantle Football Club for their understanding and the airline staff on board for their professionalism during a difficult few hours in the air. “Once the airline investigation is complete, we will work through the next steps with the charter company.” It comes as Fremantle and West Coast continue to push for a more balanced fixture when it comes to travel, including a pitch to league bosses at a meeting of chief executives in Perth this week. The flight was a charter flight arranged by the league because commercial airlines do not fly directly from Perth to Launceston. Brierty said players and staff just wanted to get home and were happier the flight was not diverted. “We wanted to get home. It was something that we could navigate - there wasn’t any significant issues. Obviously from a health and safety perspective it wasn’t great, but in terms of getting home quickly and players and staff being comfortable, they were comfortable enough,” he said. Dockers defender Luke Ryan said he fell asleep on the flight back and “didn’t need to go” to the toilet during the flight. The Transport Workers Union has blasted the inadequate conditions which resulted in “distressing experiences” for both the crew and passengers. “This situation is utterly unacceptable and demonstrates a glaring neglect of duty of care towards both our members and the passengers they serve,” the TWU’s WA State Secretary Tim Dawson said. “Our cabin crew members should not be subjected to such hazardous working conditions, and passengers should not have to endure such distressing experiences.” The company which runs the charter flight are reportedly investigating the incident. “Ensuring the safety and well-being of our members is our top priority. This incident highlights the critical necessity for HSRs and to have a strong voice for workers to report these incidences before the plane is in the air” Mr Dawson added. “We are committed to fighting for the rights and safety of our cabin crew members, and we need to make sure preventable incidents like these don’t happen again”. The shambolic scenes add to Freo’s forgettable history in fixtures in Launceston. The Dockers have won just two of their 14 games at York Park, but have had just one chance to celebrate victory on the flight home after their 2006 ‘Sirengate’ triumph was only confirmed days after the event.