FAA Proposes $3.4 Million Fix for Boeing 737 Bathroom Door Latch Issue

WASHINGTON- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a proposed airworthiness directive requiring US airlines to replace bathroom locks on Boeing 737 aircraft after multiple incidents of passengers becoming trapped inside lavatories.

The directive comes after a 2019 incident on a United Airlines (UA) flight from Washington DC (IAD) to San Francisco (SFO), where a passenger became trapped in the lavatory, forcing pilots to make an unscheduled landing at Denver International Airport (DEN).

Photo: Aero Icarus | Flickr

Boeing 737 Lavatory Door Latch Issue

The FAA has traced the issue to a defective plastic structure within the door latch mechanism of bifold lavatory doors installed on several Boeing 737 models, including the 737-700, 737-800, 737-900, 737-900ER, 737-8, and 737-9.

According to the agency’s cost analysis, replacing these problematic latches would require approximately $1,302 per aircraft (covering two doors), with total implementation costs potentially reaching $3.4 million across the US commercial fleet.

The regulatory body emphasized the safety implications of this defect, noting that in emergency situations such as severe turbulence or during evacuation procedures, a malfunctioning lavatory lock could prevent access to trapped passengers or impede their egress, potentially resulting in serious injuries.

Photo: By Alan Wilson – Boeing 737-932ER(w) 'N804DN’ Delta, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33925292

Similar Incidents Highlight Recurring Issue

The proposed airworthiness directive stems from a pattern of similar incidents across different carriers and regions.

In December 2023, a passenger on a Delta Air Lines (DL) Boeing 737 flight to New Orleans (MSY) became trapped in the lavatory for 35 minutes before being freed when a pilot physically forced the door open after flight attendants’ attempts failed, PYOK flagged.

In another case from 2024, a passenger aboard a SpiceJet (SG) Boeing 737 in India remained trapped in the lavatory for the entire 1 hour and 45-minute flight duration. The passenger was only released upon landing at the destination airport, with the airline subsequently offering a full ticket refund as compensation.

The FAA has set a comment period for the proposed directive ending May 27, 2025. Should the rule be approved, airlines would have four months to complete the replacement of all affected bifold door latches across their Boeing 737 fleets.

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