18sas

So...speaking of go-go and lavs. Where does it "go" when you flush after you "go"? In a tank? Dispersed in the air?

Is this how contrails are formed?

gooselee

And then some other FTer who is in the aisle behind you or something is going to start another thread about how the FA was wasting time blocking the aisle and explaining to some pax how a vacuum pump works and/or why it's necessary to flush a toilet.

I imagine that FAs have more instances than not where providing additional information just begs additional questions and challenges - so they defer to giving pax the minimum amount of information necessary, and avoid going into grand explanations when they can avoid it.

ATOBTTR

GagaPilot

As a pilot myself I at first believed this was just a power tripping GA or FA, but then after some research I see this is correct on this Airbus line of aircraft. Different from the aircraft that I fly - my aircraft uses an electric motor in the lav anytime the flush button is pushed to circulate the lovely blue juice around and gravity forces it into a collector tank. In other words no pressure - either vacuum or air differential - is used.

Still, had I been on the flight deck I would've made a specific announcement explaining this reasoning to the pax rather than just having the GA/FA announce it. Sure, it is helpful for them to do so, however many would be prone to disregard it if they were frequent fliers (I would've been one of them!) Very interesting... I learned something today!

Now, I'm wondering if MEL stickers had to be placed in all the Lavs...

Gino Troian

if you gotta pee just do it in the sink

vincentharris

Thank you this is pretty much all I wanted, and yes I learned something new today that I didnt know before.

apodo77

I've heard FA's lie to passengers over my years of travel. Potentially even to my face once (telling me a closet space was for FA item only even though the closet was mostly empty and there was no room in the bins in row 1 on an MD90. Don't passenger jackets go in the closet?).
I would have been skeptical as well if told that. On the bright side learned something new today about how the lav works on Airbus.

Proudelitist

Just tell them "No problem, I am only 6ft 3 inches"

swingaling

This is the only possible correct answer.

Howste

Blue Ice.

dulciusexasperis

So what we have is someone who thinks the toilet on an airplane is the same as the one in their home and if told, 'you can't use it', expects a detailed explanation/education be provided to them at one of the busiest times for the flight crew.

Do you know how toilets work on trains? Boats? If I tell you you can't flush until the train leaves the station because it is a 'hopper toilet' or on a particular boat, you can't flush until the boat leaves the harbour, do you know why that is the case or do you expect me to stand there and educate you?

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/16/7e/62/1...in-station.jpg

ATOBTTR

Waiting to board a flight from LAX to SEA and they just made an announcement that the lavs wont work below 16,000 feet so no use of the lavs at the gate or on the ground. Flight is on a 737-800.

ATOBTTR

rickg523

I didn't think the OP was expecting a dissertation.
I didn't think the issue was the operational constraints of the toilet flushing system on the Airbus.
I think the reason the OP posted was because he felt he was being treated like a child. "Oh, honey, don't fret, it's like that on all the airplanes."
I also agree with an earlier poster that the crew infantalized their response to a simple question because they are under no delusion that if they offhandedly admit an equipment failure and as a result some passenger makes a compensation claim (almost a certainty in 2018), it'll be their butt in a sling with their supervisor.
In the end, though, it was interesting to learn how these things operate. But I personally prefer to avoid airplane lavs if possible and always use the terminal facilities before boarding.

Proudelitist

Not necessarily. There are always ziploc bags and water bottles. Just ask any FA ..they find them all the time.