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Why would the sensor not show that the lavatory is occupied before the plane starts to taxi?

Occupation lights are typically driven by the lock, not by some sensor that would detect a bodily presence

The article mentions that he did not lock the door while in the lavatory. Once the flight took off, he then went to the other lavatory where he did lock the door.

But that‘s not what happened according to the article.

> The problem is, there were no empty seats on the flight. So when he emerged from the lavatory and the plane began taxiing, flight attendants realized something was wrong, and the plane returned to the gate.

The flight did not take off with him on the plane.

Maybe he should have waited until the plane took off before coming out of that lavatory! hehe

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