Q-suite Bathroom Fiasco
 

We recently flew form Doha to US had a pleasant flight except for a bathroom fiasco

In the front cabin of businesses cabin on a351 there were only 2 bathrooms, After take off I waited in the front gally for bathroom, a member of flight crew walked out from portside bathroom but when I tried to go in he informed me that this was reserved for the crew only. I waited in front of the other bathroom bathroom along with another passenger for another 10 minutes.
After a while we realized that the bathrooms were not unlocked after the take off. I was the second In line and had to find another bathroom, needless to say I was very frustrated as and in slight panic.
I walked all the way back to economy where the bathroom was unlocked but the crew did not check inside the bathroom and the basket had fallen out there was a line of people waiting to use it.
We alerted the flight attendant who fixed it but again there was someone else already waiting to use the restroom so I had to find another one. After 20 minutes of frantically searching for the bathroom I was finally able to use one.

This is the first time on Qatar in Business, I normally fly on Lufthansa / United where a standard procedure is for flight attendants to lock the bathrooms just before take off and right after take off to unlock them and check that they are operational. I am not sure if Qatar airways has the same process, if you do it was not followed.

Furthermore it was sad to see that QR puts employees ahead of customers by reserving a bathroom for sole use by employees. Given that there are only 3 bathrooms in business reserving one for your employees reduced capacity by 33%.

I truly believe that these issues could be addressed by proper protocols. IE Flight attendants should unlock and check bathrooms after take off.
I believe that the customer should come first and as such bathrooms should not be reserved for the crew use only.

Qatar started reserving a toilet for crew use only recently due to Covid.
Their SOP is for the crew to unlock, check, and put out amenities in the toilets when they're told to start to prep by the double ding / seat belt sign flashing.
Sometimes crew do forget to unlock it so I just remind them whenever they forget.

Precisely this - current SOP and QR regulations for Crew, state one bathroom must be reserved exclusively for flight and cabin crew.

While this can be a bathroom anywhere onboard, it is stated that the bathroom closest to the cockpit should be utilised. This is in the event of a flight emergency.

OP, I can appreciate your frustration, but flying during Covid times is anything but normal, and I certainly wouldn't compare this to the usual QR onboard service.

M

I was perfectly happy to have the crew use one lavatory exclusively on my recent flights especially because the J cabin was barely half full on every sector so never had to wait. If it helps them do their job with a little more ease, then totally fine in these times. Plus service was excellent on all my flights :)

I skimmed the first post and brefly forgot that I am sucker for clickbait. Anywhere here's my first three thoughts that popped into my head, in order:
- Maaaaaaaan, you've never tried SAS longhaul. Entire front galley, including toilets cordoned off in front of row 1 and if you haven't been physically tackled on a flight yet and want to give it a go then just pop a toe across on to the non-slip flooring and you'll see the fastest service in the skies.
- Hm. Never seen QR reserve toilets for staff. Given what I've seen on some fights I wouldn't hold it against them for starting that policy.
- Hmmmm... could it be covid related? Yup.

As for the wait, I've had that a few times, as the galley is a busy place on climb out, and I've learn to get hold of some crew and have them knock on the door and unlock. This happens from time to time.

-A

I have no problem with bathrooms being exclusively used by the crew especially after reading research that the virus spread on airplanes.
My concern was specifically with not unlocking/checking the bathrooms after take-off

Then why complain about it?
Because that aside, crew making a simple mistake and fixing it immediately when alerted hardly qualifies as a "fiasco."

This is easily one of the best lines I have ever read online in so many ways!

Too funny...
.

This happens on lots of airlines!

Best case scenario... you mention it to any passing crew member and they unlock it for you.

Worst case scenario... a random crew member unlocks it and lets you in. Then the crew member who is *supposed* to unlock the door comes along and does so... with you inside! :o

OP, what was the status of the bathroom by 2L door (also in business class)? You had described bathroom by 1L door and 1R door, and in economy class.

3 bathrooms are more than sufficient for 46 pax; 2 bathrooms are more than sufficient for whatever the number of reduced pax during covid.

There are 9 total bathrooms on the plane. Even with the reserved bathroom for crew, your plan of action should have included seeking other bathrooms, or ask a crew for assistance, rather than waiting around and panicking.

This is not a fiasco but a simple crew error. It happens from time to time. We are all imperfect human beings.

Alternative scenario, unlock the door yourself, it is not very difficult to do. But you'd better be damned sure that the lavatory is unoccupied before unlocking the door.

The crew will always knock before unlocking the door from the outside.

Not to poo-poo your initiative here, but the crew usually insist that pax don't do the unlocking, just on the off chance that there is someone in there already. The crew likes to have a monopoly on accidental peeping, I think.
Also, if you notify crew to get it unlocked, there is a better chance that they get the information to the right crew member and avoid the double unlocking conundrum. Less peeping, but that is the option that most pax like. At least in terms of being the peepee, and not the peeper..

But in general, rearrange the factors to suit your wanted outcome:
1. Unlock yourself - You become the peeper, crew upset
2. Ask crew in non-dedicated poo-station role to unlock - You get to pee quicker, but chance of becoming the peepee if you don't hear crew knocking.
3. Ask crew in dedicated poo-station role to unlock - You get to pee somewhat quicker, after sorting the crew by poo-station roles, less chance of being the peepee

Note, option 3 assumes you have pre-screened your fellow pax at boarding time to verify you are not flying with pax that prefer option 1 above, beware.

I am feeling that this whole thread is turning into sheet-take on the whole problem and that I am just p1ssing away a lot of time writing that I'm just taking the p1ss.

Happy flights and happy pee(p)ing,
-A

It was a bit tongue in cheek, and I'd most likely never do it on a widebody flight where I could not have seen the door all of the time.

I have unlocked the door on a narrow body when I have been seated with clear line of sight, and it is obvious the crew has gone in to galley prep mode and forgot the lavatory door. But then I know for a fact that no one was in there, I have seen the door being locked from the outside, and not being unlocked again.

I see what you did there.

I have always found QR cabin staff very good at dealing with toilets. popping in after passengers to tidy up and replace those strange paper seat covers that don't seem to have a particular function etc. Much better than some other airlines.