The diaper incident
 

I'm posting this at the request of my wife who is still incenced, although I'm curious too.

On a recent C class award trip, A mommy across the aisle from us decided to change her 1-2 month old baby's fully soiled diaper right on her seat. She did not cover the seat, nor did she wash her hands afterwards. She also did this as meal service was beginning. We gagged. Several other pax gagged. The FAs did nothing except to chase the husband out of the F cabin when he tried to dispose of the napkin wrapped stink bomb in the lav there. I think we were too shocked to say anything. Pity the poor pax who has that seat next.

What would you have done? More importantly, what would you do/say now after the fact?

I would've politely asked her if she minded changing her baby where it should be done properly. In the LAV! If I got flack, I'd get the purser and complain. That's a health hazard not to mention absolutely disgusting.

Granted, I havent changed a diaper on a plane in a long time, but are there changing tables in the lav? I can't imagine theres much room for one...C class may be different. I attempted to change a soiled diaper in the lav when my oldest was 14 months old....there was NO place to lay him down so I had to do that while he was standing up..and were I have to do it again..as stinky as it may be..I'd use an open seat if it were available..I would have however at least used a changing pad.

The only time I've ever changed a child on a plane, was almost 16 years ago...there was a change table in one of the toilets back then...and while I can't say I've specifically looked for them, I do recall seeing the change table on any number of flights since (and I imagine there was one on the rest of the flights as well).

There is a changing table in at least one of UA's Business Class lavs on 3 class planes.

This is another example of people with a special touch of "class".

I would have said nothing only because very little if anything would be accomplished by doing so. What really can the FA do? I don't understand why some people are so oblivious to other passengers but it seems to be the norm now.

Funny this has come up, because if you look in the Travel w/ children section of Flyer TravelBuzz you will see quite possibly the passenger you sat next to posting about no changing tables on many flights

Maybe you don't mind a meal next to a changing of the dirty diaper But I sure would or do.

Now it doesn't matter if the description of the meal you are about to be served and the contents of the diaper are the same thing.

I don't know what kind of plane these people were on but most that I've been on with a F or J cabin have at least one lav that this could be accomplished in.

TrojanHorse, I think you misunderstood me and as I reread my post, what I wrote does appear ambiguous.

I agree with you completely. I do mind! It's just that I feel like there is nothing to be gained by saying anything. I've come to the realization that people will do what they want, whenever they want regardless of the consequences to others. If I say something, the best I'll get is a nasty stare; the worst I'll get is an arrogant person yelling at me. To me, it's just not worth it.

Were they Huggies or Pampers??

I once had the 'pleasure' of a mom with two kids in the two seats next to me. So much for leaving an empty seat next to me...fill it with two kids. One kid was a toddler and the other was an infant. Diapers were changed, and the mom did it right there. Maybe she figured it would be too hard to drag both kids to the back of the plane.

I only wished the window opened. IIRC, it was a full flight, but I spent a lot of it standing in the aisle.

The flight was AMS-ORD. It was a 767-300ER. I don't know if it had changing tables in the lav or not. Most do. It was a tiny baby. It could have been changed on the toilet lid. My biggest problem with this is the sanitation issue. IMO, the FA should have admonished the parents, AND should have written up the incident so the seat cover could be replaced before the next pax occupied the seat. The wife has written a scathing letter to the airline. We will see what they say.

Frankly I am surprised she did not just shove the dirty diaper in the seat back pocket! I have seen this on flights before.

Anyone who would be so insensitive to fellow passengers as to do this, especially during a meal service is certainly the type to leave the diaper in the seat!

This is not the thread to be reading while I'm eating lunch

Anyway, I thought the 767-300 had handycap lavs? maybe I'm way off base here but if they do, those are plenty large enough to change a baby.

If not, I agree with the poster who said you still could change an infant on the lid of the toilet seat.

Analise, sorry about the rough wording on the post above.

I have never had to face this problem personally, but I know for sure that I have never seen an airplane bathroom that was appropriate for changing a baby.

It will be curious to see if opinions might change when it is one's own two month old infant that is about to be relegated to an airplane toilet seat during changing.