How to fix a stuck "Occupied" lavatory light
Feb 1, 2011, 6:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NYC and SFO
Programs: UA 1MM (former 1K, Delta Platinum))
Posts: 1,244
How to fix a stuck "Occupied" lavatory light
I regularly fly CO between EWR and SFO on a mix of 737 and 757 aircraft. In the past year the "Occupied" lavatory lights have been stuck in the occupied state on more than half my flights. I chose CO over UA because in my trials everything on the UA planes seemed to be broken. This "Occupied" issue is minor, but it gives me the subliminal impression that I'm flying UA.
It turns out that the explanation is simple, and the fix is even simpler. The cleaning crew want to work with the lavatory lights on, and the door open. On newer planes there is a switch in the door frame which simulates an occupied lavatory, and accomplishes this. On older planes they stuff tissue into the door frame hole that receives the door bolt, again simulating an occupied lavatory.
The cleaning staff rarely resets the switch back to normal operation, or pulls the tissue back out of the door frame. The flight attendants may notice the lavatory lights don't work, and may or may not understand why (the switch comes on planes with IFE, so I've heard the IFE blamed), but don't ever feel it is their responsibility to fix a broken "Occupied" lavatory light, even though the fix is utterly trivial.
This is a cultural problem, to be fixed in "give a man a shovel" mode. Determine for yourself that the "Occupied" light is stuck on your flight for the reasons I give, and study the door frame to determine the fix. Then patiently explain to a FA how to carry out the fix, assuming ignorance but not sloth. (This is easier to actually do in First, when there is no waiting line for the lav.) People do tire quickly of being assumed ignorant, which might accomplish the needed cultural shift.
It turns out that the explanation is simple, and the fix is even simpler. The cleaning crew want to work with the lavatory lights on, and the door open. On newer planes there is a switch in the door frame which simulates an occupied lavatory, and accomplishes this. On older planes they stuff tissue into the door frame hole that receives the door bolt, again simulating an occupied lavatory.
The cleaning staff rarely resets the switch back to normal operation, or pulls the tissue back out of the door frame. The flight attendants may notice the lavatory lights don't work, and may or may not understand why (the switch comes on planes with IFE, so I've heard the IFE blamed), but don't ever feel it is their responsibility to fix a broken "Occupied" lavatory light, even though the fix is utterly trivial.
This is a cultural problem, to be fixed in "give a man a shovel" mode. Determine for yourself that the "Occupied" light is stuck on your flight for the reasons I give, and study the door frame to determine the fix. Then patiently explain to a FA how to carry out the fix, assuming ignorance but not sloth. (This is easier to actually do in First, when there is no waiting line for the lav.) People do tire quickly of being assumed ignorant, which might accomplish the needed cultural shift.
Feb 1, 2011, 7:19 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Born in CLE, Uni in STL, NYC, now Singapore
Programs: AA Plt, CO Gold, Delta Silver(?), Hilton Gold
Posts: 46
I regularly fly CO between EWR and SFO on a mix of 737 and 757 aircraft. In the past year the "Occupied" lavatory lights have been stuck in the occupied state on more than half my flights. I chose CO over UA because in my trials everything on the UA planes seemed to be broken. This "Occupied" issue is minor, but it gives me the subliminal impression that I'm flying UA.
It turns out that the explanation is simple, and the fix is even simpler. The cleaning crew want to work with the lavatory lights on, and the door open. On newer planes there is a switch in the door frame which simulates an occupied lavatory, and accomplishes this. On older planes they stuff tissue into the door frame hole that receives the door bolt, again simulating an occupied lavatory.
The cleaning staff rarely resets the switch back to normal operation, or pulls the tissue back out of the door frame. The flight attendants may notice the lavatory lights don't work, and may or may not understand why (the switch comes on planes with IFE, so I've heard the IFE blamed), but don't ever feel it is their responsibility to fix a broken "Occupied" lavatory light, even though the fix is utterly trivial.
This is a cultural problem, to be fixed in "give a man a shovel" mode. Determine for yourself that the "Occupied" light is stuck on your flight for the reasons I give, and study the door frame to determine the fix. Then patiently explain to a FA how to carry out the fix, assuming ignorance but not sloth. (This is easier to actually do in First, when there is no waiting line for the lav.) People do tire quickly of being assumed ignorant, which might accomplish the needed cultural shift.
It turns out that the explanation is simple, and the fix is even simpler. The cleaning crew want to work with the lavatory lights on, and the door open. On newer planes there is a switch in the door frame which simulates an occupied lavatory, and accomplishes this. On older planes they stuff tissue into the door frame hole that receives the door bolt, again simulating an occupied lavatory.
The cleaning staff rarely resets the switch back to normal operation, or pulls the tissue back out of the door frame. The flight attendants may notice the lavatory lights don't work, and may or may not understand why (the switch comes on planes with IFE, so I've heard the IFE blamed), but don't ever feel it is their responsibility to fix a broken "Occupied" lavatory light, even though the fix is utterly trivial.
This is a cultural problem, to be fixed in "give a man a shovel" mode. Determine for yourself that the "Occupied" light is stuck on your flight for the reasons I give, and study the door frame to determine the fix. Then patiently explain to a FA how to carry out the fix, assuming ignorance but not sloth. (This is easier to actually do in First, when there is no waiting line for the lav.) People do tire quickly of being assumed ignorant, which might accomplish the needed cultural shift.
Going along with this...I've found on a CO 777-200 the FA forgot to unlock the door after take-off (seat 32C, so I watched and waited), and it kept showing the "occupied" status on the door. If you lift the thingy (sorry not technical but it is a bulge above the vacancy status display) and push the switch, under the bulge (which lifts up) to the right, it usually unlocks the door. Please watch the lav for a bit though, because you never know if it is really occupied and you just forgot! But 6 hours into a 15 hour flight I finally realized that's why the lav had been occupied this whole time! ^
Feb 2, 2011, 9:53 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
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Thanks for solving this mystery -- SFO is in a lot of my travels and have seen it happen several times.
Thanks for solving this mystery -- SFO is in a lot of my travels and have seen it happen several times.
Feb 2, 2011, 10:14 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: East Coast
Programs: UA 1k & MillM
Posts: 563
If you lift the thingy (sorry not technical but it is a bulge above the vacancy status display) and push the switch, under the bulge (which lifts up) to the right, it usually unlocks the door. Please watch the lav for a bit though, because you never know if it is really occupied and you just forgot! But 6 hours into a 15 hour flight I finally realized that's why the lav had been occupied this whole time! ^
This reminded me of a UA FA I meet in Rio a couple of years ago. She had travelled there for free from NRT. On the transpacific segment she had been sitting in (and blocking) a lavatory for the entire flight. (Slightly disturbing for a number of reasons).
Flight was full, but she was allowed on, as she could sit in the crew rest seats during takeoff and landing... then the lavatory the rest of the way.
Feb 2, 2011, 11:13 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
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I would always ask FA to do this. May not be a good idea to do it yourself.
This reminded me of a UA FA I meet in Rio a couple of years ago. She had travelled there for free from NRT. On the transpacific segment she had been sitting in (and blocking) a lavatory for the entire flight. (Slightly disturbing for a number of reasons).
Flight was full, but she was allowed on, as she could sit in the crew rest seats during takeoff and landing... then the lavatory the rest of the way.
This reminded me of a UA FA I meet in Rio a couple of years ago. She had travelled there for free from NRT. On the transpacific segment she had been sitting in (and blocking) a lavatory for the entire flight. (Slightly disturbing for a number of reasons).
Flight was full, but she was allowed on, as she could sit in the crew rest seats during takeoff and landing... then the lavatory the rest of the way.
A little more than slightly. I'm shocked that that's even allowed
Feb 2, 2011, 11:43 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: KEWR
Programs: Marriott Platinum
Posts: 794
I would always ask FA to do this. May not be a good idea to do it yourself.
This reminded me of a UA FA I meet in Rio a couple of years ago. She had travelled there for free from NRT. On the transpacific segment she had been sitting in (and blocking) a lavatory for the entire flight. (Slightly disturbing for a number of reasons).
Flight was full, but she was allowed on, as she could sit in the crew rest seats during takeoff and landing... then the lavatory the rest of the way.
This reminded me of a UA FA I meet in Rio a couple of years ago. She had travelled there for free from NRT. On the transpacific segment she had been sitting in (and blocking) a lavatory for the entire flight. (Slightly disturbing for a number of reasons).
Flight was full, but she was allowed on, as she could sit in the crew rest seats during takeoff and landing... then the lavatory the rest of the way.
Feb 2, 2011, 1:23 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,660
It's not.
I'm also fairly certain that when the seatbelt sign is on, the lav occupied lights will illuminate. Therefore, you might see the lav occupied light on when: A. Flight attendants have locked it as part of a security procedure. B. Flight attendants have locked it as part of takeoff/landing procedure. C. Seat belt sign is on. D. Lav is actually occupied. E. Lav is inop and locked per a maintenance procedure.
Feb 2, 2011, 1:39 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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I'm also fairly certain that when the seatbelt sign is on, the lav occupied lights will illuminate. Therefore, you might see the lav occupied light on when: A. Flight attendants have locked it as part of a security procedure. B. Flight attendants have locked it as part of takeoff/landing procedure. C. Seat belt sign is on. D. Lav is actually occupied. E. Lav is inop and locked per a maintenance procedure.