No toilets on Dreamliner transatlantic ?
 

One of my colleagues mentioned to me today that his daughter was recently a passenger on a 787 from MAN to (somewhere in the Caribbean) that departed without any functioning toilets - the intention apparently being that the problem could be resolved en-route.

The flight allegedly continued for 3h before returning to MAN (another 3h!) once it was decided that the toilets could not be made serviceable. Apparently the aircraft was less than spotless on its return to MAN - if you get my drift.

Is this story remotely likely to be true ? - even allowing for poetic licence ?

Loss of toilets on any longhaul flight can be a real problem. To depart with the expectation of fixing enroute sounds highly improbable. If it can't be fixed on the ground then who would fix them and how once in the air?

Electric flush motors below 18,000' - pressure differential above. May be they hoped it would sort itself above 18k - but didn't?

Had it a couple of times on 737NG. Toilets didn't flush after toilet service, contacted Tech, assured that once airborne pressure differential would take care of it (explained to them the consequences, long sector/overweight landing vs couple of hrs holding, Er, are you sure ? ) . . . .so far, they were always correct, seems this time either a different problem , or their "luck" ran out.

No toilets on Dreamliner transatlantic ?
 

How would be the operator involved here?

Generally for dispatch there should be 1 toilet operative for 50 passengers from what I remember from the pax aircraft I used to work with