Overview

• Pilots of a TAP Air Portugal Embraer 190 en route from Lisbon to Nice reported inoperable lavatories and requested a faster, more direct arrival.
• Controllers misheard the word “toilet” as “pilot,” leading them to believe the aircraft lacked an operative crew member.
• Nice air traffic control issued an alert status under the impression that no pilot was onboard before the crew clarified they were not declaring an emergency.
• After confirming normal operations and that no Pan Pan or Mayday call had been made, the flight landed safely at Nice without incident.
• Safety analysts emphasize the importance of standardized phraseology, suggesting terms like “lavatory” to prevent similar radio communication errors.