cw082350

I am sure this must have been discussed before but did a search and couldn't find anything. Maybe its only a pet peeve of mine but was in first on a flight from Charlotte to Las Vegas on Saturday and there was parade of coach passengers going to the first class bathroom (no cart blocking them from going back to the coach one). The FA attendant made no effort to stop them as they squeezed by her. One time she made an announcement to no effect. Had to wait a couple of times...Just trying to get feedback of what I should have done...I know this happens often. I guess the FA just doesn't want to be bothered

youvesaiditall

I personally only would have issue with it if the coach lavs were unoccupied. (Even then, I would have just been annoyed, and not said anything)

If I am in coach, and the rear lavs are occupied..and I have to go, I am not hesitating too long to go to F to use the rest room if it is not occupied.

WiscAZ

I brought this up a while back and was surprise at how many people were against me on it. Personally, I think it is a fair question to ask...

The one thing I do want to say is that I think it is ok when the beverage cart is in the way. If you have to go you have to go.

The problem is that even with the announcements that are made the FAs rarely enforce it. Like you said, a lot of times they don't even close the curtain. My main issue when I brought it up was that I needed to go and the Lav was occupies by a Y passenger. Yes, being in F doesn't make me have to go any more or less than anyone else. The fact is that the dedicated bathroom is a perk of F.

My concern is that once one person does it and gets away with it, a bunch of people start doing it. Generally, people consider being seated by a Lav a negative thing due to the foot traffic. That is essentially what F becomes in these rare instances.

On a side note, I've also seen the extreme of FAs enforcing the rules so I don't want to make it seem like it doesn't happen.

dcpatti

I have really mixed feelings on this. On one hand, I do get annoyed with a constant parade up and down the aisle, especially if I'm trying to take a nap and some of the pax are particularly heavy-footed, plus I hate that there are rules that go un-enforced (because then what's the point of having a rule anyway); on the other hand I feel pretty snotty to even think "they should keep these coach passengers out of my lavatory." Like even if it's the parade up and down the aisle that bothers me, I feel like somehow I'm implying that coach passengers will leave cooties in the lav, and I don't like being that elitist snob type of person.

I'd say if it's genuinely causing a disruption during the flight, or if the F lav is constantly occupied, the only thing a passenger can do is politely request the FA try to keep the foot traffic down; and after the flight, sending a note to US would be useful if written from the standpoint that "if you have a rule, you should enforce it consistently."

Often1

It's part of US' safety & security policy to require pax to remain in their ticketed cabin. So, this isn't a question about what the FA ought to do. And, it's not done because F pax are to be treated better.

If it occurs and it bothers you, raise it to the FA and remind her that it's part of her employer's stated policy. Then report it to FAA and they may or may not take enforcement action against US and the FA.

If it doesn't bother you that much, forget it and move on.

Your choice.

Granitebox

I just file this under "too many more important issues"......its annoying, yes but IME its only a minority of folks who do this. When the curtain is up the numbers seem to go down

justhere

And just to be clear, it is a bathroom in first class, not a first class bathroom!

tommyleo

Why feel snotty? What if the FA decided to give the F meals to Y pax? You wouldn't feel snotty -- you'd be pissed!

F lav is for F pax -- unless a Y pax has a truly urgent need for the lav.

GNALUZU

Dear FAA,

DYKWIA! Someone used my first class bathroom when they shouldn't have and the flight attendant didn't do anything about it!

Signed,

A very important person with nothing better to do

Seriously, it's a bathroom. As long as they aren't congregating in the F cabin (and no F passengers are waiting to pee) I can't believe that people get this worked up over it.

GNRMatt

I've always wondered whenever a flight takes off, the FA announces that the FC lavatory is for FC passengers only "due to increased security measures". Is there any FAA, TSA, or other agency that requires an airline to do this? Is there any real security reason for this, or is it just something the airline says to try to keep people back in coach?

dcpatti

Well by that token, if a Y pax had a truly urgent need for a meal.......

just makes me feel elitist and kind of wrong to bicker over what's essentially a public restroom. That's all. Perks are perks, I get it, and there's good benefits as your reward for buying F or flying enough to get it for free, but it's a flying port-a-potty. It's like making a stand over who gets to use the "fancy" trash bin.



Pretty sure this came from the TSA as an "advisory", post-9/11. I think the theory is if there's fewer people hanging around by the forward lavatory, then there's less of a chance someone will be able to act up in such close proximity to the cockpit door. Search this pdf for "lavatory" http://www.governmentattic.org/2docs..._2003-2008.pdf:

Except as noted in Section s. below, passengers must be directed to use those lavatories that are in their class of service. For example, passengers traveling in first class must only use tho~e lavatories in first class, and passengers traveling in coach class must only use those lavatories in coach class.

a. Cabin crewmembers must accommodate passengers with special needs (for example: minors, persons with disabilities and medical conditions, and the elderly) by allowing them to use the lavatory closest to their seat regardress of their class of service.

Apparently if there's too many people hanging out by the lav and they don't listen to the FA's, the FA's are to notify the captain, who can choose to turn on the seatbelt sign if needed.

PWMTrav

It doesn't really bother me. Although an FA did once stop me from going to the forward lav to change my daughter's diaper, and the aisle was blocked with the drink cart so I couldn't go back. I really appreciated that one, as they hadn't stopped anyone before or after from doing the same. I guess in his mind, selectively enforcing that rule was more important than a stinky kid having to wait.

Point is, it needs to be enforced consistently or just removed as a rule. Either way, I don't really care, including when I'm in F and people come up to use the restroom. The only rule I really care about is that I don't really want a ton of people hanging out in the aisle waiting for it, but they do enforce that.

sjpmurph01

I agree with you that this case topic would be ridiculous to report to the FAA, but the technical grounds on which it could be done is US' legal requirement to enforce it's own policies. Since US states a policy of 'front lav for FC only' they are required by the FAA to enforce that policy.

Personally, I have a little pet peeve about the whole "Due to heightened security measures..." being the reason thrown out there for it. But I guess if you believe that literally, then maybe you would want to report it to the FAA.

WiscAZ

For a forum where rules, restrictions, etc. are discussed at length, I always find it funny when this topic comes up and everyone forgets about the "rule" in place. I suppose it starts with the rule actually being enforced. Which it usually isn't.

Regardless, before everyone gets way off topic, OP asked for feedback on what he/she could have done. I think the simple answer is speak with the FA on the flight if it bothers you or write a note to US after the fact.

StuckinITH

This is my personal observation: when I'm in coach, the rule is enforced; when I'm in first class, the rule is not enforced.