Fremantle players flew from Launceston to Perth with no working toilets, cabin crew forced to manually clean bowls in farcical scenes

Fremantle players were allegedly forced to urinate in basins on a flight back home from Launceston after the plane ran out of water half an hour into the journey. 

The Dockers were aboard a chartered flight following last Saturday's loss to Hawthorn due to there being no direct flights from Launceston to Perth available at the time through Virgin Airlines, the AFL's official flight partner.

In ghastly scenes, staff aboard the flight were allegedly forced to manually scoop toilet waste into basins in a bid for toilets to remain usable for other passengers during the journey which usually lasts approximately four hours. 

Tim Dawson, the WA state secretary of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), which represents the cabin crew, said the incident was a damning indictment on the airline industry as a whole.

"This situation is utterly unacceptable and demonstrates a glaring neglect of duty of care towards both our members and the passengers they serve," he said in a TWU statement.

"Our cabin crew members should not be subjected to such hazardous working conditions, and passengers should not have to endure such distressing experiences."

Dawson told ABC Radio Perth that the incident was another sign that "the whole industry needs a complete shake-up". 

Fremantle's football boss Joe Brierty said the AFL was investigating what took place on the flight from Launceston to Perth.

"It wasn't appropriate really, in terms of having those facilities. They need to be at a standard level so people can travel home. It was managed in the best way it possibly could have.

"From my perspective, from a football point of view, it's [about] making facilities at the venues we play at meet the standards. 

"The return flight home on the weekend, in terms of the standards needed, they weren't appropriate. We will work closely with the AFL to ensure that this doesn't happen again."

Brierty said the players and staff were "comfortable enough" to fly back home despite the issues with the plane's water supply, but could not confirm the specifics of what players who needed to use the toilets were forced to do.

Former AFL star Luke Ball sympathised with the players for having to use the toilets, particularly on a flight back home after a game.

"That’s a long flight to hold on, four hours … usually players are straight into rehydration mode after a game too, and that was after a loss, so a little bit of salt in the wound there," he told the ABC's AFL Daily podcast.

Fremantle faces Melbourne at Perth Stadium on Sunday afternoon as it aims to get back on the winners list after last weekend's upset loss to the Hawks.