Potable water serviced inadequately
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 64
Potable water serviced inadequately
Hello,
Today I was on flight 201 from Hnl to gum and mid way through was notified that all water used to wash hands in the bathrooms was inoperable. Flight attendants placed a large bottle of drinking water in the bathroom with taped tissue paper reading "for hand washing only".
Towards the end of the flight we were instructed to visit United.com/appreciation for compensation. I was offered 1250 miles or $25 e cert.
Is this an okay offer or would you hold out for more?
Today I was on flight 201 from Hnl to gum and mid way through was notified that all water used to wash hands in the bathrooms was inoperable. Flight attendants placed a large bottle of drinking water in the bathroom with taped tissue paper reading "for hand washing only".
Towards the end of the flight we were instructed to visit United.com/appreciation for compensation. I was offered 1250 miles or $25 e cert.
Is this an okay offer or would you hold out for more?
#2
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,454
Wow, it would never come into my mind to ask for compensation for something like that.. ok, maybe if it was on a 12 hour flight, and it was inop the whole time, but for a few hours, and there was a "emergency solution" in use?
I'd happily take the miles or the e-cert and run
I'd happily take the miles or the e-cert and run
#4
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I don't see the OP's assertion. Water for hand washing doesn't have to be potable. Now, if the FA's use of bottled (assumably potable) water meant there wasn't enough for ingestion by passengers and reasonably expected needs, that's a potable water shortage.
#6
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 187
Yes it does. You are washing your hands so that they are clean enough for you to eat.
#7
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#8
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Often airplane lavatories have signs near the sink saying that the water isn't potable. Even without the signs, one doesn't know how often the aircraft's water tanks are completely drained and cleaned out, so it's wise to stick to bottled water and avoid drinking the water in the lavatory.
This is no different from travel to places where you're supposed to drink bottled water but you of course use tap water for showers and hand washing.
If the FAs had signs on water bottles in the lavatories, one suspects that they repurposed large water bottles that were empty and filled them from some water source on the aircraft for hand washing. Perhaps there was water in another set of lavatories and FAs were able to refill the water bottles there rather than closing some of the lavatories or using all of the flight's drinking water for hand washing.
This is no different from travel to places where you're supposed to drink bottled water but you of course use tap water for showers and hand washing.
If the FAs had signs on water bottles in the lavatories, one suspects that they repurposed large water bottles that were empty and filled them from some water source on the aircraft for hand washing. Perhaps there was water in another set of lavatories and FAs were able to refill the water bottles there rather than closing some of the lavatories or using all of the flight's drinking water for hand washing.
#9
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Potable-water issues are real!
#10
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,454
#11
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,454
#13
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If the OP's title had any relationship to the reality of the situation I doubt that the Cathay article would have made me think of this thread, but what the heck, I decide to post it anyway because I had nothing better to do at the time.
#14
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On Horizon dba AS Q400 flights, the lav doesn't even have a sink, only instant hand sanitizer gel is provided. perhaps i'll have to ask them for compensation.