An Etihad flight from Melbourne was forced to make a landing in Jakarta after two fires were lit in the cabin toilets mid-air.
Flight EY461 to Abu Dhabi, which left Melbourne at 11pm on Monday, eventually arrived almost four hours behind schedule.
A passenger revealed what had gone on:
"Flames were coming from the toilet and smoke filled the cabin. The arsonist first struck about 3 or 4 hours into the flight, when we were over the sea. Most passengers were asleep and unaware. It was extinguished and there was an announcement reminding us that smoking was strictly prohibited. Airline staff assumed that's what caused it."
"The second fire was in the rear toilet, not far from where I was sitting, I could see the flames and the cabin filled up with smoke. It took two extinguishers to kill the blaze."
The flight then made an emergency diversion to Jakarta, and remained at the airport for two and a half hours. The flight resumed after a security search of passengers and their carry-on luggage. The captain then implemented strict control over passenger movement, particularly access to the toilets.
Then it happened again, two hours from Abu Dhabi, over the Indian Ocean, with passengers on social media claiming that three more fires were lit.
"Following the fire being extinguished, we were asked not to leave our seats, could not use the toilets and no breakfast was served due to security issues. We only had one muffin and one drink served in 12 hours," said the witness.
Etihad says that they could not serve food because they had to have attendants guard the toilets instead, as due to cabin pressure; a fire needs to be extinguished within 90 seconds.
The pyromaniac was not caught and enquiries continue.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
