The Misery of Flying With Bathroom Issues

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A recent post on FlyerTalk about the serious challenges of flying to a destination when you have a medical condition that results in anxiety about bathroom access shed light on a problem that millions of people deal with every day. The result was a debate about the responsibilities of airlines, crew members and air travelers when a flyer has a medical condition that makes a visit to the lavatory an absolute emergency.

FlyerTalk member navylad should perhaps be applauded for setting aside pride to tell a highly personal tale of humiliation at 40,000 feet. Because of his bravery in the face of unspeakable embarrassment, many of us have found a new appreciation for the hidden disabilities of some of our fellow passengers, and at the same time, he may have sparked an interesting discussion about the obligations of the airline versus the responsibility of the passenger when a flyer requires special accommodation.

In the case of this now-famous FlyerTalker, his preferred decision was to cancel travel plans after recently-diagnosed medical conditions made frequent visits to the toilet absolutely necessary. Navylad explains, however, that a call to British Airways convinced him that the airline and crew members stood ready, willing and able to help make his flight from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Rio de Janeiro–Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) trouble-free.

Spoiler alert: They were neither ready, willing nor able.

To make matters worse, a special “sunflower lanyard” that was provided as a signal to cabin crew members that the passenger has a hidden disability proved less than helpful. In the end, navylad’s initial inclination to cancel the flight may have worked out much better than trusting the airline’s promises.

“Unfortunately, about 90 minutes into the flight, I needed to use the facilities at the rush, not wishing to cause too much of a fuss, I initially proceeded aft to the WT toilets, but it was just after the initial food Service and the queue was 8 deep, and despite having a sunflower lanyard, no CC were available to assist (they were in the galley which was not easy to get to),” the mortified flyer recounted. “In desperation, I went to use the CW toilet with the reassurance I had my sunflower lanyard given to me by BA and the CC would know. Sadly I was mistaken, I got shouted at as soon as I stepped through the curtain by a member of CC telling me to go use the economy toilet. Twice I tried to explain to him in a calm manner and two further times he shouted at me to go and use the economy toilet until I eventually had to raise my voice and effectively tell the whole cabin of my condition. Whilst he then stepped aside in order to allow me to use the toilet, albeit without acknowledgement, it was then too late, and I had an accident.”

The frequent flyer involved says he shared this highly personal story in the hope of receiving “constructive thoughts” from the FlyerTalk community as well as helping prevent others from finding themselves in similar situations. Having already been let down by BA’s disability accessibility team, navylad also admitted to creating the thread to help find a strategy to keep from finding himself in a similar situation on the return flight home.

While British Airways is said to have apologized and offered an upgrade for the passenger’s return trip, the dispirited flyer is left wondering if this is enough compensation from “an organization that has breached the Equalities Act.” After all, this wasn’t a run-of-the-mill customer service complaint.

“Extremely distressed by the situation, I ended up going to the back of the plane and breaking down in tears by the aft door, eventually being consoled by one to the WT CC, who in fairness apologized for what happened and said he would ‘have a word,’” the FlyerTalker confessed. “Sadly I had the remainder 10 hours of the flight in soiled clothes.”

Some of the responses were decidedly less than sympathetic. One post suggested that anyone with bladder or bowel control issues should refrain entirely from air travel. “If a wheelchair bound person found themselves in the situation of having an immediate dose of the s—- which caused them to require immediate access to the bathroom then yes, they should also not travel,” one especially heartless poster suggested when challenged.

Other more helpful members of the FlyerTalk community shared stories of their own struggles with medical issues causing incontinence and bowel control issues. Several FlyerTalkers were even able to offer strategies to help make long flights less stressful, including carrying a “Just Can’t Wait Card” to quickly and conveniently inform cabin crew members and fellow passengers should an urgent need to visit the facilities arise.

In the end, navylad opted to take the best advice FlyerTalk had to offer. Rather than relying on a sunflower lanyard and a Just Can’t Wait Card, he vowed to personally speak with gate agents and cabin members immediately before the return flight and perhaps equally as important, make absolutely sure he is carrying a spare outfit.

Is British Airways in desperate need of potty training? Should they be the ones embarrassed by this passenger’s “accident” or should those with hidden medical issues such as bladder or bowel control issues just stay home? Just imagine the relief of sharing your opinion in the British Airways Executive Club forum.

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