qazw1

Anyone have a link regarding the official rules for use of restrooms on planes?

Coach passengers allow to use the restroom in first class?

If you are on a plane where there is only one restroom in first class and two in the back of the plane in coach, can one who is in the front rows in coach use the first class facility?

WalruSara

I've always been told that coach passengers cannot use the first class restroom, regardless of where they are sitting. I have not been able to able to find any written policies on it, but the flight attendants will certainly set you straight.

InkedParrot

From different blogs I have read. One way to start a class war is when first class passengers use coach restrooms. Which dosent make sense if coach is not alowed to use theres. Oh Well!

mvoight

A lot of FA's don't seem to care, but some do.
The LAW says you only are limited to your own cabin on international flights.
If I am just behind FC, I will go for it. It is often too difficult to tell how many people are ahead of me at the economy WC.

Deltahater

it is handled inconsistently across the AA system. Some FAs enforce it, which I endorse, even if I am in coach.

I like the class system. (Let the flaming begin..)

Plato90s

[AA forum moderator note]

As this is a generic topic, it belongs in TravelBuzz so that travelers from all reaches can contribute.

BLG

When I'm in F I get annoyed if the FAs don't stop coach pax from using the F lav. I figure that one of the things I've paid for when I'm in F is not having to wait in line when I need to go, and with a little luck, having a cleaner lav because of less use.

phedre

General rule I go by: I use the Y bathroom if seated in coach even if in the first row (which I usually am), unless the drink service is out, then I use the F bathroom.

skylady

There is no rule in place that stops anybody from using the FC lav on a domestic flight. Why would you be annoyed?

I have often found that the f/c lav needs to be cleaned more often, because of the tp all over the floor.

AllanJ

Use your foot to whoosh all that tp about the floor to sop up the wetness before you sit down and your pants cuffs drag ...

Rebelyell

People fly first class because they want a quieter, most sedate flying experience. That means they don't want the second class passengers milling about the first class cabin.

My understanding is that the second class passengers are not suppposed to be in the first class cabin, period, whether to use the bathroom or just to hang out.

I usually fly second class, by the way, and when I do I use the bathroom that I am assigned.

hausfrau

Unless it's an emergency, my husband and I fly on unrestricted full-fare tickets up front partially for the fewer passengers per bathroom.

Maybe this belongs in Senior Travel, but for some reason, blood pressure medications seem to work overtime when in an airplane. It's extremely annoying to pay for the convenience, then find that I have to wait until four or five passengers not in that cabin troop through and take up time. As another pet peeve, are some people going in there to take baths in the sink? Seriously, one woman on my last flight scurried in as I stood up, and she was in there for almost 20 minutes!

CO Platinum

I could be wrong, however, i think that it is for security reasons that Y passengers cant use the F bathroom. I believe that they dont want passengers congregating in the front of the plane as perhaps it could be interpreted as something else.

On a side note, I dont really care too much if Y passengers use the F bathroom if they are discreet about it. However, if they start congregating and/or being noisy, messy, and smelly, then it gets annoying.
However, i think that F passengers shouldnt be so arrogant in that regard. If a Y passenger REALLY has to "go" then let them do it.

Many times as a F passenger i go use the bathrooms in the back of Y cabin for several reasons. The main reason being to walk around and stretch my legs. The other reason is to be with "the people" as this allows me to appreciate my F seat and cabin even more.

jimbo99

I think its pretty simple. I've been on planes with up to 4 classes of travel. You choose your cabin class when you purchase your ticket, and that's the cabin you stay in.

With your cabin, comes your seat with its facilities, a certain level of service from the FAs, a certain kind of fellow passenger... etc., whatever you want to read into that. And the toilets for that cabin - which may be bigger, cleaner, have better toiletries etc than in the lower classes.

I see it as a kind of trespass or petty theft of service to push through the curtain to use the facilities in a different cabin. Of course you could ask an FA - if the FA agrees, then that's different. The curtain is there for a reason.

If you move to a lower cabin class, I think the same rule applies - you are using someone else's facilities, though it would seem you have less to gain.

Mr H

I think some people like to sneak in to a higher class of cabin, however briefly, and however flimsy the pretext - going to the loo, looking for an FA, whatever.

On trains back home, the first class compartment is usually just three rows of seats at the end of the train, behind a set of sliding doors. It's surprising the number of people who come into the cabin just to use the litter bin - and that's not to mention the people who sit down and pretend they didn't know it was first class when asked for a ticket.