Bathroom break briefly delays landing of Air Canada flight at Pearson Airport in Mississauga

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Published April 14, 2023 at 4:12 pm

Screen shows Air Canada Flight 1199 on final approach to Pearson Airport.

An Air Canada St. Patrick’s Day flight from Miami to Pearson Airport in Mississauga had to briefly abort its landing because a passenger couldn’t hold it any longer.

On the list of reasons why a passenger jet pilot will inform air traffic control that the incoming plane will circle the airport once more instead of making its planned landing, a passenger having to use the bathroom would likely appear near the very bottom.

That’s if such a reason for a delayed landing is on the list at all.

Yet that’s exactly what happened on the morning of March 17 as Air Canada Flight 1199 approached Pearson.

And the verbal exchange between the pilot in the cockpit of the Airbus A220 and an air traffic controller was recorded and then posted to YouTube by Real ATC, a service that provides behind-the-scenes public access to such conversations (listen to recording below).

Listening to the recording, the pilot and a Pearson air traffic controller are heard exchanging “good morning” greetings as the aircraft, which can carry as many as 137 passengers, approaches Runway 24 Left.

Landing instructions then follow and the controller tells the flight it’s cleared for landing.

However, the pilot’s next transmission informs the tower that Flight 1199 isn’t quite ready to touch down on the tarmac just yet.

“We’re going around, for Air Canada 1199,” he says.

The air traffic controller then repeats the cleared for landing message, prompting the pilot to state his intention one more time.

“Going around,” he’s heard telling the tower, which then responds that the flight is to maintain 3,000 feet altitude as it circles the airport.

Moments later, the controller addresses the pilot again: “Okay, do you require any assistance?”

After an audible sigh, the pilot replies: “No…we had a passenger that ran into the toilet on final (approach), so can’t land with that.”

“It happens once in a while,” air traffic control responds. “Okay, Air Canada 1199, contact departure…and they’ll bring you back around. Good luck the second time.”

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