Originally Posted by shinbal

I didn't take any "I'm better than you" out of the OP's post. Being someone with occasional "critical need", I can certainly sympathize. If it's a choice of an embarrassing incident and long-term discomfort for myself and those around me, I don't care what the sign says. FA's do need to be more sympathetic to that. In several situations, I've explained the urgent need calmly and most times they've just nodded and said "be careful". I had one incident an hour into a flight where the FA told me she would call the captain if I didn't sit down, I had no choice but to call her on it. I told her that both of us were going to do what we have to do, and I went to the lav. When I came out, I returned to my seat. She didn't say a word to me for the rest of the flight. I was never arrested, so I guess she didn't follow through.

I never thought myself better than anyone. I just had an urgent call of nature that required a lavatory. It's always a fine line of how people handle things. But when I have to go, I don't particularly care what the sign says.