the lost

If this is just for the pandemic, than this thread is ridiculous and everyone here complaining should be ashamed of themselves. On domestic flights, it's ridiculous for someone in the front of E+ to walk by the entire plane to the back during a pandemic. No one should be complaining about people using the nearest restroom.

UVU Wolverine

With such a wide fleet/seat layout variety, I don’t think a blanket policy makes sense. If I’m sitting in the bulkhead row of a A319/320 or a 737-800, I’m probably going to use the bathroom in first whereas on the 737-900 with a bathroom for Y mid-cabin, that’s not a problem.

Then you get into widebodies where it seems easier to use the bathroom in your own respective cabin.

I think there should be some digression on the part of FAs to make a judgement call given the situation, but that’s not likely.

paperwastage

I could be wrong, but isn't it a tsa/faa regulation to remain in ticketed cabin during intl flights arriving in usa?

whitethunder

As much as I love the exclusivity while in FC, I gotta think those of us 1K's in the first row of economy in E+ when our UG's don't clear, I would much rather walk to to the front of the plane than all the way to the back....

WineCountryUA

Not sure I like the new policy but when traveling in PremPlus and no access to the lav 3 feet in front of me was an irritant and widely ignored.

canadiancow

On another airline, on narrow-body flights, when the cart is blocking the aisle, I've seen some FAs tell Y pax to use the J lav.

The result, for me, was a line of people from the galley back to row 3, one of whom was very large, whose butt ended up in my face. That was unpleasant.

Then there was the issue of it being a never-ending stream of pax, so I wasn't able to quickly get up and go. I had to get in line, right beside my seat.

Another time, a quick comment to an FA got me "priority access".

There also tends to be more service up front, and having people constantly blocking the aisle really impedes that.

If they revert this after COVID, fine. But for now, this will have a noticeable impact to the premium cabin on any remotely full flight that doesn't have lavs at the front of Y.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

On Polaris-equipped a/c flying int'l routes, allowing PP and Polaris customers use of the forward lavs would be OK w/ me. There is a significant (for the most part) price differential between those seats and the ones further back.

UAPremierGuy

It is quite annoying. People coming in and out of the F cabin, standing in the way, and often getting in the way of the FA's service. The seatbelt sign usually comes off right in the middle of meal service, and then you have people making a beeline for the lavatory.

757FO

The biggest issue I see from a pilots perspective is that eventually, an F or J passenger is going to throw a fit over someone who uses the forward cabin lavatory, causing an issue that requires me to focus on that, rather than focusing on the airplane itself. Given human nature, and some of the posts I have seen here over the years, its inevitable.

HNLbasedFlyer

Interesting. I don't fly AA a lot, but I do every so often. I didn't even know it was an use any lav policy on AA until I read the article.

bocastephen

What in the world is this crap??? Why does United feel that with everything going on, making this type of nonsensical and blatantly stupid change will enhance the travel experience for the people paying more for their flight? I am getting used to almost every United product announcement being either tone deaf or dumber than the previous, but this really takes the cake!

Under virtually no circumstances should passengers in the main cabin be allowed to use the F lav, and this is especially relevant on international Polaris flights where a standing govt rule actually prohibits this! The only exceptions I can possibly imagine are for disabled passengers who cannot walk to the back safely, or if the cart is blocking access to the back, then a Y customer can request to use the forward lavatory IF there are no F customers waiting to use it.

What a totally brainless decision that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

JimInOhio

The biggest winners will be F passengers on CRJ 550 and 700 aircraft. At least they will have a lav they can use now.

FreFly

For domestic F, easier lav access was one of the main attractions for me. In fact, if higher traffic in close proximity increases chances of COVID contamination, then row 1 isle seats become quite unattractive.

Ari

Bring back the P goblets!

zymm

This has always been inconsistently enforced, so I don't see it making much of a difference. Much of the time people will still have to go through a curtain to access the front lavs, and even that rather insubstantial barrier will be enough to prevent more timid pax from pushing through, I don't think there will be a deluge from Y.