A four-hour flight carrying an AFL team ran out of water half an hour after take-off, leaving cabin crew scooping toilet waste into bins, according to a union.

The Fremantle Dockers were travelling back to Western Australia on a chartered plane after their loss to Hawthorn in Launceston on July 13 when the incident unfolded.

Transport Workers Union WA state secretary Tim Dawson said the result was non-functional toilets and an “unsafe environment” for crew and passengers.

“This situation is utterly unacceptable and demonstrates a glaring neglect of duty of care towards both our members and the passengers they serve,” he said.

“Our cabin crew members should not be subjected to such hazardous working conditions and passengers should not have to endure such distressing experiences.”

The situation reportedly forced cabin crew aboard the 104-seater Embraer E190 to manage the situation by manually scooping toilet waste into basins.

With both onboard toilets out of action, passengers were also forced to use basins to urinate, highlighting a severe breach of basic hygiene standards, the union said.

A National Jet Express spokesperson said the incident was being taken “very seriously”.

“NJE is aware of the situation on board a Launceston to Perth charter flight recently and is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident to ensure any failings are addressed immediately,” the company said.

Fremantle Football Club has been contacted for comment.

The flight incident followed the Dockers’ loss in Tasmania. They were beaten by Hawthorn 87-74.

-AAP