Narrative:

We were en route from mci to atl with a very poor ride. Flight attendants reported a passenger was extremely airsick and was in the lavatory. As we began our approach into atl, descending through 5000 ft MSL, about 15-20 mi out from atl, our flight attendants reported passenger still in lavatory. Flight attendants reported passenger was unable to exit lavatory due to intensity of his airsickness. I briefed captain on situation. He felt best course of action was to continue approach and landing with passenger in lavatory. I was not comfortable with this and suggested we break off approach to further evaluate our options. The captain felt we had no other options due to the fact the individual was unable and unwilling to exit lavatory. I again expressed my discomfort with this situation but could not come up with any alternatives that made any sense in the heat of the moment. We landed without incident with passenger in lavatory. Passenger was assisted off aircraft after all other passenger were deplaned. In later discussion with my captain, he felt it was a greater safety issue to try to move this passenger (with flight attendants or other passenger) in the very turbulent flight conditions, than to leave him in the lavatory.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CAPT DECIDES TO CONTINUE APCH AND LAND WITH AN AIRSICK PAX IN THE LAVATORY DUE TO MODERATE TO HVY TURB.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE FROM MCI TO ATL WITH A VERY POOR RIDE. FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED A PAX WAS EXTREMELY AIRSICK AND WAS IN THE LAVATORY. AS WE BEGAN OUR APCH INTO ATL, DSNDING THROUGH 5000 FT MSL, ABOUT 15-20 MI OUT FROM ATL, OUR FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED PAX STILL IN LAVATORY. FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED PAX WAS UNABLE TO EXIT LAVATORY DUE TO INTENSITY OF HIS AIRSICKNESS. I BRIEFED CAPT ON SIT. HE FELT BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO CONTINUE APCH AND LNDG WITH PAX IN LAVATORY. I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AND SUGGESTED WE BREAK OFF APCH TO FURTHER EVALUATE OUR OPTIONS. THE CAPT FELT WE HAD NO OTHER OPTIONS DUE TO THE FACT THE INDIVIDUAL WAS UNABLE AND UNWILLING TO EXIT LAVATORY. I AGAIN EXPRESSED MY DISCOMFORT WITH THIS SIT BUT COULD NOT COME UP WITH ANY ALTERNATIVES THAT MADE ANY SENSE IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT WITH PAX IN LAVATORY. PAX WAS ASSISTED OFF ACFT AFTER ALL OTHER PAX WERE DEPLANED. IN LATER DISCUSSION WITH MY CAPT, HE FELT IT WAS A GREATER SAFETY ISSUE TO TRY TO MOVE THIS PAX (WITH FLT ATTENDANTS OR OTHER PAX) IN THE VERY TURBULENT FLT CONDITIONS, THAN TO LEAVE HIM IN THE LAVATORY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.