Sounds like the gene pool needs a little extra chlorine...

Seriously... Ms. Jacobsen needs to be put on the "no-fly list" herself. How typical of a "cry wolf" situation is this?!

I�ve noticed this too. My travels lately have been divided between DL and WN. Never hear the lav announcement on DL and ALWAYS hear it on WN.
My take on the no lines at the lav thing is that it�s pilot driven at least on WN. I notice that the pilots many times repeat the warning just after the FA�s have already announced it.
I�m thinking the pilots want to be able to jump into the lav....although they�re not supposed to be leaving the cockpit.....without having to deal with a long line.
They used to turn on the seat belt sign to free up the lav. Nowadays it�s the �no lines at the lav� law.

Maybe, the "authorities" will decide to hand out a fixed amount of bathroom passes like in some schools. (... and then the games and fights over the "passes" begin. ) And how long until there is a ticketing system for plane bathrooms? Take your number and wait your turn in your seat? And if you don't get in there fast enough and lock the door X seconds after your number is displayed/announced, then you're out of luck.

AA and NW still have at least some pilots making the lock-down-type announcements. Outside of the US, I never have to put up with this.

Do the cockpit or cabin crew play games with the seatbelt announcements in order to lockdown the plane or bathroom faster?

I honestly believe that pilots leave the seatbelt light on longer than necessary to lockdown the plane. I also think that on shorter flights by doing this, at least on DL, they avoid the FAs having to do their drink service. I doubt any airline personnel will confess to this, but if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck, it usually is a duck.

I think the requirement to comply with crewmember instructions (part 135.117) would cover this ,as it is an instruction related to the perceived safety of the plane. Whether you agree with it or not, it is a reasonable request IMHO.

- Tim

I've ignored the seatbelt light ever since it became obvious that it doesn't mean anything. Evidence:

- They tell you to have your seat buckled when you are sitting regardless.
- They never stop you when you have to go to the lavatory when it is on.

Seatbelt indicators are just pretty lights. They don't mean anything any more.

So true, so often. Unfortunately this bad habit of not turning off the seatbelt indicator has been taken to a new art form by at least one Alitalia crew. When they are doing food service, they make sure that the light is on. They do the same thing to keep the forward bathroom for themselves after they unlock it (which sometimes only happens after the resting crew or the occassional AZ equivalent of a "FAM" gets in there to change into/out of pajamas first).

It is not at all reasonable. At least not until the FA starts to hand out lavatory passes. I would hate to be in a cabin if everybody followed this stupid rule. Can you imagine the smell?

Maybe they should have an onboard security checkpoint near the washrooms. It's annoying if you have to go through secondary just to go to the bathroom, but--well--it's all in the name of security.

I think it would then be appropriate to have another checkpoint required to re-enter the cabin.

If anything, the checkpoint will serve as a deterrent to those who might consider standing up, walking, or using the bathroom on a commercial flight.

Wouldn't be the first time people stripped for "screening" in the lav...

I can see both sides of the point of not having a line at the lavs. Maybe it isn't a security issue afterall.

On one hand, when you have to go, you have to go. Not only is it not easy to run down an airplane aisle, it would also probably cause some attention. Definitely better to be able to stand near the lav and wait your turn.

On the other hand, how long of a line is too long? Two people, four people, a half dozen? Look at from the passenger who is sitting in the aisle seats near the lav point of view. When you are sitting, you are basically at rear-end level. Do you you want someone's butt in your face continually throughout your flight? Especially if they are having bathroom issues. Also, there is the hair pulling. Not that this is done intentionally, but people seem to place their hands on seat tops which inadvertently causes hair pulling, which is also something that doesn't make for a very pleasant flight.

While you are sorta on target, nearly all commercial airplanes in the USA are operated under part 121, not part 135.

My question is, Who likes standing by the lav's? There is nothing inviting, or pleasant about it. I would rather sit like a jack in the box, ready to "spring" up and take my chances being beat to the punch than stand next to that foul, odor producing, "blue fog" area. Of course it could be those same people who I see running up the aisle very quickly and happily in their bare feet, or socks are the same ones who love to "congregate" up there.

Just a little levity.

When you are seated in the middle of the middle on a 777 or a 767 there is no "spring up" and go to the lav. You line up or you will forever miss your chance. And after an 11 hour flight, it's going to be wet and smelly.

Oh get over yourself already, Congress/TSA has nothing to do with it. It's a private airline, they own the planes and they get to make the lav rules. If you don't like the no congregating rule, don't fly on that airline...vote with your wallet.