MM_someday

Pretty scary LAX - EWR flight today. All was perfect till it suddenly wasn't and people got launched with zero warning about 30 minutes before landing. I'd say that was less than a second of near-zero gravity.

Heard a woman repeatedly say she wasn't ok and needed help for a couple minutes, not sure if in the lavs. At least 5 passengers, 1 lap infant/toddler, 1 service dog, and 1 really senior FA had hit their heads/were injured. Another FA had visible bruises on face, some of those passengers walked it off after giving their info while a couple others were tended to.

Nothing life threatening hopefully. Props to FAs and passengers for handling it well overall, the only sound was that of a crying infant (understandably so). There were some laughs and convos once the sheer shock of it subsided, a clap when we landed, and everyone was quite cooperative until EMS came. Heard that EMS was understaffed/under-resourced.

Gotta tighten that seatbelt till I can't breathe on the next flight.

Aussienarelle

Wow. I normally try not to use the lavatories on the plane for domestic trips but LAX-EWR may stretch my bladder.

Glad you are okay.

There is a reason pilots keep their seatbelts buckled in flight.

fbcooper

We got a bit of surprise severe turbulence as we were landing today as well, london to ewr.

They also made an announcement for us to make way for a medical emergency as we were getting ready to disembark

halls120

When in flight, the only time my seatbelt isn’t fastened is when I’m headed for the lavatory. I don’t understand people who don’t do the same.

mathe

As a kid, I once went ORD-MAN without using the toilet. Thankfully, there are toilets before immigration at MAN, or there were then.

MM_someday

Thanks! I was fine except for some unpleasant whiplash, should've tightened the straps more though. Felt bad for the unlucky lady across the aisle from me, she got something tangled and unbuckled maybe a minute prior to adjust herself, but nature had other plans right after she adjusted.

I wonder what injury compensation (if any) would look like for the non-UA folks. Intuitively seems like no compensation since they always ask you to have your seatbelts on and turbulence isn't the airline's fault. But they didn't give the seatbelt warning they usually do before entering a turbulent region since it was unanticipated.

eng3

It's easy to forget something like this can pretty much happen at any time. When I get up, I usually try to have my hand somewhere to brace just in case. But nothing's 100% (ie. in the lav). I just try to minimize that time as much as possible (for several reasons).
EWR-LAX is usually the max time I can go without using the lav without getting too dehydrated.

econ

I’ve done a few TATLs/TPACs without having to use the lav, although all but one of those were red-eyes where I slept most of the flight.

sonyeoshin

As a young child, I had done a few TPACs without using the lav at all as the loud pressure flush has scared me from the lav for over a decade.. Nowadays, I have a strategy to protect my ears when using the lavatory.

Back on topic, it is not fun when trying to get out of the lavatory back towards your seat when turbulence suddenly hits, especially on approach to DEN.

fumje

TPAC! I suppose TYO-SFO or maybe TYO-LAX? I can't fathom going much further. And only on the red-eye.

econ

Yes, TPAC happened to be on ICN/TYO-LAX/SFO. The day flight was a TATL.

Back on topic: Seatbelts are good.

nachosdelux

I can't go 90 minutes without using the lav, but I am getting to be an old man and drink a lot of water. Risky business, I suppose.

eng3

Some people just don't flush.
In my younger years, I just didn't drink any water so I didn't need to go. Now I tend to drink more water on longer flights to combat dehydration so I need to go more often. And ofcourse most people need to go more often as they get older anyways. I've thus far managed to never pay for a toilet in europe but that is mostly because I sweat it all out. Eventhough many planes don't have personal vents, it's not to the point where I sweat it all out.

Regarding the OP, I've always wondered what they do on those planes with showers. I once sat next to a boeing exec who tried one. He asked the FA the same question and was told to just "hang on". I guess there are some handles. Also the shower isn't that tall so not alot of opportunity to build up momentum. Still if I'm going to be seriously injured, I'd prefer not to be wet and naked or on the toilet. I guess it makes sense that the most high risk times are when you are most "vulnerable"

757FO

And yet everyone complains when we keep the seatbelt sign on, and think it's some grand conspiracy to avoid serving the paxs.

FlaAnnie

This is what makes me crazy when doctors recommend that their patients frequently get up and walk around the plane to prevent DVT. Wonder what the risk ratio is between the two. I’ll stick with moving feet and legs while seated!