FAA rules concerning Y PAX using F Lav
Jul 23, 2018, 10:16 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2016
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I've seen some FAs send Y people to the back even when the toilet was unoccupied, and I've seen some Y people come up and chat with the FAs in the first galley.
I guess it depends on the crew and more specifically the FA in F.
I guess it depends on the crew and more specifically the FA in F.
Jul 25, 2018, 2:45 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2016
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The security directive was distributed to every global airline operating flights into the USA and it's pretty much the same directive for all and states (I am paraphrasing) that passengers must use the lavatory in their ticketed cabin (along with not congregating, etc) when flying to the USA - and this announcement is, I believe, part of the standard post-take-off announcement on all UA flights, international or domestic since I hear it so often, yet hardly ever see it enforced except on a widebody, and only if a FA witnesses someone trying to walk past the curtain. Most foreign airlines have solid curtains that snap into place, or ropes that make coming forward much more difficult.
So the directive is there, it's part of the announcement, and what we can all agree on is it's not enforced, certainly on narrow body flights where getting upfront is much easier than a wide body. Rule or not, I don't want Y passengers coming into F, especially during meal service, and when I'm flying in Y on UA or another airline, it never occurs to me that I can or should consider using the F lav (or putting my bag in the F overhead). If I can follow the rule, then everyone else can too.
Don't be shy - if Y passengers are coming forward, or worse, standing in the F aisle, just hit the call button and ask the FA to instruct them to stop coming forward. I've witnessed some good FA's who remind Y passengers they are not allowed forward, however if the cart is blocking the Y aisle, they can line up behind the curtain and she will allow one at a time forward to use the lav provided no F customer needs it - but these FAs are very rare, and most seem to just sit, read People Magazine and not give a hoot about who is doing what and that is very annoying.
So the directive is there, it's part of the announcement, and what we can all agree on is it's not enforced, certainly on narrow body flights where getting upfront is much easier than a wide body. Rule or not, I don't want Y passengers coming into F, especially during meal service, and when I'm flying in Y on UA or another airline, it never occurs to me that I can or should consider using the F lav (or putting my bag in the F overhead). If I can follow the rule, then everyone else can too.
Don't be shy - if Y passengers are coming forward, or worse, standing in the F aisle, just hit the call button and ask the FA to instruct them to stop coming forward. I've witnessed some good FA's who remind Y passengers they are not allowed forward, however if the cart is blocking the Y aisle, they can line up behind the curtain and she will allow one at a time forward to use the lav provided no F customer needs it - but these FAs are very rare, and most seem to just sit, read People Magazine and not give a hoot about who is doing what and that is very annoying.
You make it sound like they are using the bathroom in the aisle while you are trying to eat!
Jul 25, 2018, 2:57 pm
#19
Join Date: Aug 2008
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I fly the majority of my domestic flights on narrowbodies in F. As long as they aren't congregating in the aisles, who cares. If you are in the first few rows of Y it is exponentially harder to use the rear lavs.
You make it sound like they are using the bathroom in the aisle while you are trying to eat!
You make it sound like they are using the bathroom in the aisle while you are trying to eat!
95% of the time when I see a Y passenger use the F lav, it's because there's drink service happening in the main cabin of a narrowbody aircraft and it's a giant pain to try to get by. Many of those times, I've seen the FA doing the drink service point the passenger to the F lav. As long as it's not creating a backup in the F lav, I don't really care when I'm in F.
Last edited by Sykes; Jul 25, 2018 at 3:03 pm
Jul 25, 2018, 3:19 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2009
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There are times - beverage service - where it's effectively zero lavs, as it can be quite difficult on a full flight for the FAs to find a "passing zone" for a passenger, but don't want to roll the cart all the way to the back. That's when I've seen in most - the person in one of the first few rows of Y who is blocked by a cart and will be for a while.
Jul 26, 2018, 1:14 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,866
But if the rules aren't enforced, first class passengers might be forced to mix it up with the hoi polloi. Perish the thought!
95% of the time when I see a Y passenger use the F lav, it's because there's drink service happening in the main cabin of a narrowbody aircraft and it's a giant pain to try to get by. Many of those times, I've seen the FA doing the drink service point the passenger to the F lav. As long as it's not creating a backup in the F lav, I don't really care when I'm in F.
95% of the time when I see a Y passenger use the F lav, it's because there's drink service happening in the main cabin of a narrowbody aircraft and it's a giant pain to try to get by. Many of those times, I've seen the FA doing the drink service point the passenger to the F lav. As long as it's not creating a backup in the F lav, I don't really care when I'm in F.
Jul 26, 2018, 1:38 am
#23
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Jul 26, 2018, 10:05 pm
#26
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Jul 27, 2018, 12:11 pm
#28
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Join Date: Apr 2001
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It is a trade-off on cargo space for seats on the main deck. The A330 and A340 have an Airbus-supplied option that allows for the lav in a cargo bin setup. It is a semi-permanent install, though, so not easy to swap. Many legacy carriers do/did enough business in belly cargo that it was not considered worthwhile. Lufthansa has the lower lav on its A340-600s and Thomas Cook on the A330s based on a decision that the cargo was not going to happen.
Jul 27, 2018, 2:41 pm
#29
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Now that's a crime!