carla568

Earlier this month we flew HNL to DFW on a 777 in the first row of PE. Business class had zodiac seats so I could see seat 10D. I saw the woman get up with her purse about 5 minutes before landing. I personally started getting really nervous and anxious as the landing gear came down and the buildings came into view and she wasn't back yet. As we landed, I watched her half glass of water slide gently forward and amazingly NOT spill a drop or slide off the arm-shelf (I'm kicking myself for not taking a video!). As we are taxiing to the gate, I see her come sit down and the FA make an announcement that everyone needed to be in their seats. As we deplaned, I hear FA 1 ask FA 2 if "she" was in the bathroom during landing and FA 2 said no (but no mention of "she was in another seat" so I think FA 2 was wrong). I paused to give FA 2 some certs because she went above and beyond in finding space for every last cabin bag. Me and 10D lady then exited (she did not say a word and very likely would have overheard FA 1 yelling to FA 2).

Crazy experience for me and I am convinced she was in the bathroom during landing. Another reason no one noticed might be because someone did not pick up all drinkware before landing. I believe 10D had a lady travel companion in 10H as they spoke a couple times but I did not see any reaction between the two after landing.

Anyone think she could have been sitting somewhere else? Is there protocol to check bathrooms before landing?

Madison Guy

I have seen several instances of all service items not being collected before landing. Not common, but it happens. Protocol for checking lavs - I suspect there is, but then again, it is a procedure that could be missed. Taking another seat for landing - possible. (I was once on a QF intra-AU flight where the FAs asked me to be seated in a jump seat when exiting the rear lavs due to severe unexpected turbulence. I was gratefiul, as it turned out I would never have made it back to my seat on my own feet - it was about the worst I have been in.) But by the end of day, was there any damage or injury in this instance?

carla568

No damage or injury as far as I saw.

FAA1996

I've been on a flight where this happened a while back: MIA to SCL in J, senior with limited mobility got up to use bathroom a minute or so before landing. FA saw this and realized there was no way to get pax back to seat before landing, so she opened the lav door and told the pax to hold on. Pax landed in bathroom and did not exit until taxiing to gate.

AndyPatterson

Usually, I see the FA's lock the bathroom doors (from the outside) about 10 minutes or more before landing. But, if a passenger is already in the bathroom, the FA might not realize it was occupied and assume that some other FA already locked that door.

vasantn

I've landed with a pax in the lav 3-4 times. NBD. The FAs can hardly break down the door while the aircraft is descending through 500 feet.

Lomapaseo

I don't recall an injury in the bathroom during landing or takeoff..

I'm beginning to think a bathroom is safer than a seat at least the full overheads don't come down on you in that cocoon.

The real risk is the walk to your seat

UKtravelbear

Was the bathroom OK?

carla568

Nothing to indicate that the bathroom was harmed.

mrow

Earlier this month I landed in the bathroom - about 25 minutes before landing my stomach decided that it needed to empty. I sat in excruciating pain for about 10 minutes and eventually couldn’t stand it any longer so explained to the FA what was happening and she told me if I went to the lavatory now I would likely need to land in there. Suffice to say that is what happened. No big deal. There are handles to keep yourself secure. But I hope to not have to do it again any time soon!

PDXPremier

It's weird but I've found that being in a situation like this when you can't use the restroom actually seems to increase my need to use the restroom.

krispy84

I don’t wish to sound harsh but this really doesn’t seem any of your business. You can’t police what other pax or cabin crew do, and it certainly isn’t something to get nervous or anxious about.

WindowSeatFlyer

Woman Quarantined Five Hours in Plane Bathroom After Testing COVID Positive Mid-Flight
https://www.newsweek.com/woman-quara...flight-1664401

While the article doesn't specifically mention her location when the plane landed, she was likely in the bathroom.
Seems like the crew was okay with that.

mrow

I totally agree…certainly felt like that with my recent experience!

I always hoped to land sitting forward of row 1 - in my mind I pictured sitting in a jump seat on the flight deck though…not in the lavatory just behind the flight deck

VSLover

usually dont need to use the facilities until that seatbelt sign chimes on as we hit turbulence.