iluv2fly

And have another with a FT pal in the IFL after landing.

SkeptiCallie

I believe he might have been joking.

McCoy

Indeed.. it would leak...

However, an empty water bottle....

alex0683de

I somehow can't shake the feeling that this might get you arrested for indecent exposure. Sure would work though...

That said, I can't wait for that particular entry on the "Worst Seatmate Ever" thread.

iluv2fly

Please don't forget to shake!

HomerJ

..during your H/S or college days. Peeing in the bottle while moving is a time honoured skill that takes aim, patience and the ability to find a plastic bottle with a really wide opening. Put the blanket over your lap and whizz away. Now have I done this on a flight...no but thats cuz Im usually lucky enuf to be sitting in J on the really long ones...but on long bus trips in the past..away I went...

757-300

This isn't just a male problem. I am a female who is forced by life circumstances to fly very frequently, even though I am scared to death of rocketing through the sky at hundreds of miles per hours in a bouncy cigar tube with wings. That means a nervous bladder and least one lav visit on a typical MDW to MCO flight. Hubby and I were Elite on ATA, which meant we could usually pick the two-bagger exit row (10DE on non-business-class planes) when we were on our usual 757-300. I could visit the lav all I wanted without irritating anyone. I prefer a window seat, as does he, so he'd take it on take-off and we'd switch for landing.

Now we're stuck on WN, and even though I love the window, I choose an aisle when travelling alone so I'm not crawling over strangers. When we fly together, he takes the window and I take the aisle. If someone sits in the middle, I offer to switch with them but warn them that I will be crawling over them at least once.

I take Xanax when I know the flight will be especially turbulent, and I noticed that when I do, I often don't have to pee on the flight. Since it's related to my nervousness, I suppose that makes sense. But I don't like to take psychotropic drugs unless absolutely necessary.

McCoy

That made me smile.. sorry!

As well as the reduction in anxiety-induced feelings of needing to pee, hypnotics such as this also have a direct anti-cholinergic effect on the bladder.. "urinary retention" is listed as a side-effect, along with things like visual disturbance, dry mouth, sweaty palms, tremor, vertigo...

Short-acting benzos, like Xanax, and like lorazepam are less likely to cause all these side-effects, than the longer acting ones like diazepam. Personally, I never take diazepam.. feels like a hangover.

typhoon

If you can- I'd wait as long as possible.

I suppose when you sit down first of all- it does help being cordial to your fellow passengers. Then they won't resent your perambulations too much.

Personally, I always pick an aisle, even in transatlantic business class when the row in front is fully reclined it can be a little awkward getting out of a window seat. The best I think are the 2 middle seats in businessof a 2-2-2 configuration and the first row. You can get out easily and no-one is reclining into your space.

gsnichol

I tend to take an aisle seat on anything more than a couple of hours. I like to wander about and stand by the doors where there's a bit of space, or chat with the steward(ess)s as after they've done the meals and stuff they sometimes are just at the back chatting. On night flights, I don't mind so much if people climb over me or wake me up to go to the toilet; I can't sleep much on aeroplanes anywya. However, on a flight from Toronto back to London last year the guy next to me woke me up. Instead of going forward to the toilet (which were only a couple of aisles away) he went to the galley and came back with a vodka and tonic! Grrr....don't wake me up just for booze!

Fraser

'Suckin back on grandpa's old cough medicine'

phred

since I have one of the world's smallest bladders I always take the aisle seat. Saves everyone in my row a lot of aggravation.

Another tip: figure out when the movie's got about 10 minutes left and go pee then. Once the credits start, it's a mad rush for the facilities.

I was once on a L-O-N-G approach to Dulles and I just couldn't wait until we were in the terminal, I had to rush down the aisle. I guess nowadays that would make me a prime target for Hopalong Sky Marshal.

davie355

Bumping this thread. I was on DTW-SFO the other day and had to use the bathroom twice, which I think is perfectly reasonable for that duration of flight.

I was in a window seat because I'd booked last minute and no aisles remained.

The first time my seatmates were perfectly accommodating.
The second time, which was about 1.5 hours later, the middle seat guy had fallen asleep, and when I tapped him on the arm and said "Sorry, one more time," he grimaced and asked, "Again?"

I can't imagine the tension if the flight were longer and I would've had to go a third time. What's the best approach here? Offer to swap, apologize profusely, or disregard the expression of annoyance?

emma69

I hadn't read this before but dear lord please don't anyone try to climb over me if I look asleep (chances are I am not, as I rarely sleep on a flight, more like zoned out) as it would frighten the bejeezus out of me, and not end well (meaning I scream loudly when startled!) I am an aisle gal, but occasionally I may not be in the aisle, but I still need to pee. I touch the passenger on the upper arm, and ask to come by - some may indicate a climb over, some may twist legs around or up underneath them, and some may simply stand up. It is never appropriate to straddle a stranger without their knowledge!

hurnik

Personally I would never have said "again?", but if I were in your shoes I *might* have said another, "sorry, blah blah prostate, blah blah" (haha). Or maybe given him a dirty look.

I always try to book the aisle seat and always tell my seatmates that if I'm asleep to *PLEASE* wake me up and I will happily move. Unfortunately I've had (twice) women insist that they'll just crawl over me (like that's not going to wake me up or get me stepped on), for some reason they think that's better.

But if I were also in your shoes, I wouldn't have had issues with waking someone up to use the bathroom, although I'm hoping others would be understanding if their seatmate needs to use the facilities, whether or not they're sleeping (everybody pees/poops--LOL).