qazw1

Well - this is the only info I found that looks somewhat official:

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/0...parity_aa.html

'Potty parity' -- AA to open up first-class toilets to all fliers

In a move the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (free registration) brands as "potty parity," American Airlines today will scrap its rule that requires passengers to stay in their class of the cabin when using the lavatory. That means that coach customers can now venture into the first class cabin if they have to use the bathroom.

"It was difficult to explain to customers sitting in the forward section of coach why they couldn't walk a few feet away and use the lavatory," American spokesman Tim Wagner tells The Associated Press. AA first instituted the rule in 2003. And though other airlines enforce similar rules on some flights, AP says American was the only carrier to apply the rule on all of its flights. Per federal laws, however, passengers on all international flights that take off from foreign airports still must stick with the bathroom in their part of the plane.

Editor's note: Thanks to a tip from a reader, we have removed an inaccurate description of the lavatory layout on American's 757s from this post. American spokesman Tim Wagner confirms that AA's 757s have one lavatory in first class and two in coach. There is also one lavatory that right behind first class and is open to both first- and coach-class customers.

Posted at 07:02 AM/ET, Mar 01, 2007 in American Airlines | Permalink

Fraser

Passengers should use the lavs in their own cabin, unless, cabin service doesn't allow you to reach the one in your own cabin. i.e. AA's MD80, Airbus A32X etc...

If I'm travelling in the first row of economy then I have no problem walking down to the back of the plane, even if the toilet is only 15ft away.

CPRich

Sorry, that's a crock, IMHO. If you don't want pax to congregate near the cockpit, announce that pax are not to congregate near the cockpit, as happens on many flights. Y pax aren't inherently more dangerous or more congregating than F pax. I have no problem announcing a policy that F lavs are reserved for F passengers. Using the "it's for security" excuse is lame.

redbeard911

"According to United's security policy, passengers are required to use the lavatory in their ticketed cabin."

If there's a stedy parada of Y passengers coming up front, it might be a problem. One or two on a non-sleeping flight, no big deal.

SkiAdcock

If it's just the first row of Y & I'm in F I don't normally mind too much. But when there's a steady stream (sorry couldn't resist ) of people, then I have a problem w/ it. One time I was in F & I really really did have to go, & the line from Y was never-ending. After 15 minutes I said enough already & got up & stood near the galley next to a Y passenger & the FA.

As someone came out I bypassed the person from Y who was chatting w/ the F FA & went into the bathroom. As I went to close the door Ms Y said hey I was in line. I said, are you seated in F class? Her, no. Me, well I am & then I looked at the FA, closed the door & did my thing. When I came out Ms Y was nowhere to be found & the F FA enforced the bathroom/cabin rule the rest of the flight.

As mentioned I don't mind a couple of folk using it, but when I'm seated in F & have to wait 15 minutes because of a neverending line when Y also has 2 bathrooms, no way.

Cheers.

slawecki

i would love to see someone produce and show a reg for class crapping.

other than disobeying an instruction from a person in authority on the plane. (the FA sez you cannot go potty in the first class lav, as your poo poo stinks, and it is a well known fact that theirs does not).

disobeying fa is very touchy subject.

all that said, i usually fly in the front of the plane, and do not like the unwashed masses using MY restroom, and really dislike when THEY come up to MY upperclass, hang over MY seat, and talk to their upgraded also probably unwashed friend. no wonder i keep thinking about voting republican with all these impositions from the masses.............

Diplomatico

If you are in F, you get to use the F lav. Pretty simple.

When you go to the football game, do you walk into the luxury boxes and use the restrooms in there or use the communal one for the "cheap seats" fans?

hausfrau

Many of those up front pay for the privilege of not having to wait up to half an hour to get in the lav. And to clarify, unless the "20-minute woman" truly didn't have a smell associated with her solid waste, that's not what she was in there to do.

If you're so set on "equality" and not having the price paid reflect a few perks, then why not exclusively devote your flying to North Korean, Cuban, and Chinese airlines? The Communism Effect should mean that you'd be happy with the equality of the bathroom allocation.

RichMSN

Sure, but what about F passengers waling back to Y to use a Y lav cause theirs is full?

SkiAdcock

THAT has got to be much rarer than the Y folk coming to F...

Cheers.

RichMSN

I've seen it happen more than once.

I'm also amused at the different treatment for F passengers compared with Y passengers. I've seen Y passengers barked at for standing with the seatbelt sign on while an F passenger is chatting away with an F flight attendant up near the galley and wonder if I'm the only one who notices such things.

Cha-cha-cha

I second this. What on earth are those people doing who stay in the lavatory forever? Taking a sponge bath? Writing the Great American Novel?

jimbo99

I've seen them take laptops in. (Complete with power cable...)

Ted S

As my father pointed out the other day... the bathrooms often do have power outlets and I'm sure more than one person has gone there to charge things.

I'm generally fine with the "my cabin" rules but if you're in a large plane sitting in the first row of Y with a big line for 2 bathrooms in the back it feels pretty silly. I've asked the FAs about going up front before... If I was sick or had an issue I might insist on it but otherwise I understand I didn't pay to use it and shouldn't complain if they don't want me to. Given the modern security rules I don't feel like getting into it over a bathroom trip unless things are really bad...

SJC1K

IMO going forward because of a queue is not acceptable regardless of where you're sitting. The queue is part of the package in Y. However, going forward because the aisle is blocked by a beverage cart makes it OK to ask the FA's permission to use the F lav.I can't speak to North Korean and Cuban airlines, but I can tell you that China Eastern, China Southern, Shanghai Airlines, and Air China all to a very good job of catering to F and elite pax far better than garden-variety Y. In my experience nobody does elitism as well as the communists.