Passengers were left desperately dashing for the loo after flight attendants handed out prune juice that allegedly acted like a powerful laxative.
Long queues reportedly formed outside the plane’s two toilets as tummies began rumbling across the packed cabin.
One unsuspecting flyer claimed he mistook the drink for ordinary grape juice and knocked it back without a second thought.
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It was only when he reached the bottom of the bottle that he realised what he had drunk – before watching the mad scramble for the loos begin.
The bizarre scenes allegedly unfolded on a China Southern Airlines flight from Wuhan to Urumqi, China, on 1 August.
Passengers took to social media to share their experiences following the in-flight drinks service, as reported by Need To Know.
One person wrote: “Why hand out prune juice when there are just two toilets for over 100 people? You nearly made me embarrass myself.”
Another person added: “My intestines have never been this clean in my entire life.”
A third user joked: “China Southern is so thoughtful. Free gut cleanse and weight-loss service for all passengers.”
Some travellers claimed the effects continued even after touching down.
One passenger reportedly raced to the toilet at the airport before having to make another dash after reaching their hotel.
Prune juice contains high levels of sorbitol – a sugar alcohol that can draw water into the gut and have a laxative effect.
A doctor reportedly said consuming more than around 10g could trigger diarrhoea in healthy people.
However, airline staff later said they could not fully verify the claims surrounding the specific flight and described some online reports as inaccurate and exaggerated.
A customer service representative said: “Aircraft meals and drinks are based on what is actually provided on board.
“Not every flight serves prune juice.
“Common options are coffee, ordinary fruit juice or soy milk.”
They pointed out that passengers can also choose alternatives including water.
The airline also claimed images circulating online showing long toilet queues had been exaggerated and said no passengers had formally complained of suffering diarrhoea.
There has been no official announcement of an internal review, catering audit or investigation into the incident.
The 100ml juice packs reportedly came from a brand that has supplied airlines for years.
Its packaging resembled that of ordinary fruit juice and reportedly carried no warning about its potential laxative effects.
But passengers claimed they learned the hard way that not every complimentary in-flight juice is quite as innocent as it looks.
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