Prune Juice on China Southern Flight CZ8403 Causes Toilet Queue Chaos
Passengers on China Southern Airlines flight CZ8403 queued for toilets after drinking prune juice served on board, with more than 100 travellers sharing only two lavatories on August 1. The 100ml drink, branded Bilin, triggered gastrointestinal reactions, prompting complaints on an aviation app. The airline said beverage offerings vary by flight and passengers may choose alternatives, with plain water always available.
China Southern Airlines' provision of prune juice on certain flights drew attention on August 7 after passengers reported gastrointestinal reactions from drinking the juice on board, resulting in long queues outside the lavatories. More than 100 people on the flight had only two toilets to share.
Photos of the in-flight meal taken by affected passengers show the prune juice packaged under the brand "Bilin" with a net content of 100 millilitres. Bilin's website displays a 100ml prune juice with broadly identical packaging, and the company describes itself as a long-standing partner of domestic and international airlines, citing 25 years of cooperation.
A China Southern staff member said the specific food and beverage items served in flight depend on what is actually available on each aircraft, and not every flight distributes prune juice; common drinks are mostly coffee, juice or soy milk. The airline's customer service said the drinks offered on board generally depend on crew arrangements, and crew members inform passengers of the available options during distribution. If passengers do not wish to drink the juice, they can choose other beverages, and plain water is always available.
Separately, passengers reported that on the August 1 CZ8403 flight, the drinks distributed by crew included prune juice, and some passengers queued for the toilet after drinking it. One passenger commented on an aviation application, questioning why prune juice was provided on a flight with only two toilets.