\Woman boards United Airlines flight from Newark, only to spend over an hour in the bathroom after a sudden stomach ache: ‘my worst nightmare’
TikTok user @meghanreinertsen’s experience travelling with United Airlines was far from pleasant, but it had nothing to do with the airline itself. On her TikTok account on July 7, 2025, Meghan shared a video suggesting she might have contributed to the cancellation of a United Airlines flight from Indianapolis.
Meghan then explained how it happened, saying she first noticed signs of a “disturbance” deep within her bowels during her second connecting flight between Portugal and Indianapolis. This flight was from Lisbon to Newark. She revealed that the incident occurred when her flight was about 30 minutes from Newark. Despite noticing these signs, Meghan was unable to reach the toilet in time, but when she boarded her next flight, everything changed. She felt a strong urge to poop and, when she finally visited the bathroom, she couldn’t leave for two hours and had to seek assistance from flight attendants.
TikTok user @meghanreinertsen’ s story about flying United Airlines might go down in history
After boarding her third connecting flight from Newark, @meghanreinertsen didn’t need to worry about missing her flight, as it was her last connection to Indianapolis. So, it was safe to use the bathroom. However, as soon as she reached the restroom, she couldn’t hold it anymore. As she described, her bowels were repeatedly filling with diarrhoea, then releasing, then filling again. At one point, she felt the urge to vomit but struggled with how to do so because the bathroom on a plane is notoriously small.
Eventually, she managed to get on her knees and vomit. But she faced an even bigger problem: each gag and pressure on her rectal area increased her urge to poop, making her fear she would have an accident. Fearing what might happen and not having a change of clothes, Meghan opened the bathroom door and called for help. She shouted, “I need help. I need help, ” and a flight attendant came in with a plastic bag for her vomit. She then simultaneously pooped and vomited, staying in the bathroom for over an hour and a half. The pilot authorised her to remain there during landing. However, as she mentioned in her second video, even after the plane landed, she was still in the bathroom when someone from the flight told her to take her time, as her next flight had been cancelled.
People have reacted strongly to TikTok user @meghanreinertsen’s story
Meghan Reinertsen’s story about experiencing explosive diarrhoea on a United Airlines flight to Indianapolis has gained the attention of many people. As of this writing, the two videos she uploaded discussing the incident have amassed millions of views, likes, comments, and saves. User @catherinelukes commented under Meghan’s first video, “The smell… the embarrassment. I feel so sorry for you and everyone on the plane. Literally my worst nightmare.” User @crumbs11 wrote something similar, saying, “this is my worst nightmare but also thank god you went to the bathroom and stayed there for the good of the people.”
Many commenters believe Meghan likely had the norovirus. User @safarazvi_ said, “this is the most accurate depiction of norovirus i’ve ever heard. i feel seen.” User @soph.langen commented, “You poor thing…that sounds like norovirus and I barely survived it in my home let alone an AIRPLANE BATHROOM.’
What is norovirus infection?
According to Mayo Clinic, Norovirus is a highly contagious infection spread through food or water contaminated during preparation. It can also spread through contaminated surfaces or through close contact with a person who has already been exposed to the infection.
Some symptoms of people infected with norovirus include nausea, muscle pain, low-grade fever, stomach pain, vomiting, and loose, watery diarrhoea. Among these, the last three usually appear 12 to 48 hours after exposure. The infection lasts 1 to 3 days, and people usually recover without treatment. However, young people, old people, and people who have existing underlying health issues may need medical attention.
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