Bathroom Ethics
 

What an enticing subject, I know!

I was flying DL ATL-JAX in Y towards the front of the cabin yesterday and saw something that raised a question for me. With the first-class lavatory occupied, a passenger in F got up and immediately walked past the curtain to the bathroom at the front of the coach cabin and used the lavatory nominally assigned to coach.

Of course, it's not kosher for a lowly Y passenger to walk through the curtain and use the lavatory in first. But is it any more appropriate for a F passenger to do the opposite?

Sounds like a 757. If so, I've always assumed the bathroom between coach & first can be used by passengers in either cabin.

Agreed, I have done this on many 757s in both Y and F/J and not thought anything of it. If it's not behind the F curtain, it's fair game for both cabins!

Glad to see that DL finally has someone monitoring the lavatories!

I usually hear one perfunctory announcement early on, telling pax to use the lav in their own cabin, but rarely see any effort at enforcement.

IMHO the curtain divides F from Y, so if you are walking past the curtain to use the lav, you are "trespassing". Having said that, I have to confess to that transgression...going from F to Y (but not in the reverse direction) to use the lavatory.

Although they say to use the lav in your own cabin, I think the real intent is to keep the F cabin free of excessive traffic.

Ethically speaking I think it's okay for F pax to walk back to Y if they so choose. Not because I think Y pax are entitled to be DYKWIA types but I think the idea behind preventing Y pax from entering F cabin is to not disturb the F pax with lots of foot traffic. Plus if it could disrupt FA service to F pax. Deltalina would not approve! :P

Also, if I'm in F and the lav is full I just wait... I'm an adult; i don't really have bathroom emergencies at least not for many years to come. lol

I'm not interested in walking to rear of the plane past the peons to use the lav. But as previous poster mentioned if it's a 757 and the Y lav is next to the curtain I would probably use that if F lav was full.

Obligatory link to Curb Your Enthusiasm "Coachy" scene.

If I'm seated in row 4, I'm more prone to use the lav thats right behind me, with the exception if there is a line in Y waiting for that lav. I just sit back and wait for the F cabin bathroom to become available. Not at all being a DYKWIA, just is easier in proximity. Regardless, both lavs have the same exact amenities.

Shhhhh, don't let the peons know that. Let them imagine the rose water and better tissue available up front.

Personally, I would say that passengers should not go into a higher cabin, but can go into a lower cabin, with an exception for 'bathroom emergencies' (my rule of thumb, is if it is urgent enough you are willing to tell an FA you have a 'bathroom emergency' and the slight embarrassment that includes, then it should be fine).

I would also so it is courteous to only go down a cabin if there is a line in your own cabin.

I doubt there would be much bathroom use on this flight, or needs to coment on it. The plane is in the air for about 45 minutes.

I always have. If the F lav is occupied and the Y lav isn't, I'm just going to go for it.

+1

Not to throw a wrench in things, but...

As a Y passenger I absolutely will use the F lav under the following circumstances...
1. FA never mentioned line about using your own cabin's lav
2. Curtain has not been pulled shut
3. I'm in EC (or first few rows) with Y lav occupied (esp if lined up)

I'm not going to walk the full length of the plane to stand in line when the F lav is unoccupied. If it were the middle of the night on a long flight, I would be more hesitant to use F lav.

I would never want to wake an F passenger who rightfully deserves a bit more privacy.

Hmmm. I opened up this thread thinking the discussion was going to be about the ethics regarding going #1 or #2 in the aircraft lav. ;)
I'll use the F lav if the aisle to the lavs in Y behind me is blocked with the service cart during drink service. If the F/As have the aisle blocked, then I'm not going to go make them move the cart back and forth while I try to squeeze into the seats on the side of the aisle to allow the cart to pass.

Perhaps the most understandable reason. Consider this #1 on my revised list.

As Billy Idol said, "...we let our first class passengers do, pretty much whatever they want"