¡Revolucion! American Airlines liberates toilets for economy-class proletariat
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You’re sitting in coach and have to use the toilet. The line in the back of the plane is huge. So you walk to the front of the plane, perhaps pushing aside the wispy curtain separating first class from the cattle car. But you’re denied: You’re told to return to your own cabin to wait in line at the back of the jet.
Not anymore! Your lavatory is liberated!
At least on American Airlines. Starting today, coach passengers will be allowed to use first class toilets.
The ban on coach passengers using the first class toilets was imposed after 9/11 as a “security measure.” Presumably, passengers congregating at the front of the plane, waiting to pee, was a threat to the pilots. It was dangerous then, but somehow isn’t a threat anymore.
I’ve honestly got mixed feelings about this. The security argument always struck me as suspect, especially after the cockpit doors were reinforced. And I’m glad to see one fewer policy in this society that’s justified by the bugbear of security.
But, as long as the economy toilets aren’t overflowing, I don’t necessarily have a problem with separate bathrooms for first class. You paid for premium seats (or upgraded with your hard-won miles or certificates), so why not get a premium toilet?
So which is preferable? Democratized communal water closets, or a premium pissoir for a premium passenger? Sound off!
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March 1st, 2007 at 9:56 pm |
I wish AA would keep the policy, as this takes away the value of the first class cabin. It brings substantially more traffic through the cabin, and ties up the bathroom during peak time, like descent, when first class passengers should have quick access.
Unfortunately, not many passengers respected the policy, and it was sporadically enforced. The most amusing enforcement I have ever witnessed happened days after the on-board liquids ban when two air marshals detained a coach passenger for using the first class bathroom.
March 2nd, 2007 at 8:53 am |
I tend to agree with the above poster - I *always* fly coach, but agree that you pay for a premium product and expect to get one.
However, I think the solution is to ensure that there are sufficient lavatories in coach, something that is not always the case. For example, on some smaller jets (Air Canada’s E190s come to mind), there is one lavatory for the very few first class seats and just one additional one for the remaining 90 coach passengers. One guy with a stomachache and the lav is out of commission for 1/2 hour!
There are also some other exceptions - most parents would agree that it’s preferable to use *any* lav than have a three-year old pee on the seat because he can’t hold it in.
Given this reality, I like American’s move of allowing passengers to move around, but I’d have no problem with FAs discouraging the practice unless there was a real backup in the back of the plane.
March 2nd, 2007 at 10:46 am |
They’ve already downgraded FC to the level that almost nobody but upgrades and airline employees bother with it so might as well let everybody use the john. There is usually a line for the ones in the rear.
March 2nd, 2007 at 11:45 am |
I think Menashe has it about right.
If there’s no line in the back, then economy passengers should be asked to use the economy toilets. If there’s a line in the back, then open the toilets up in the front. Just don’t let people mill about the first class cabin while they wait.
This would require flight attendants to pay attention to passenger movements, and to step in and play gatekeeper. I honestly wonder how many flight attendants would be willing to do that.
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:06 pm |
What are you all talking about? “Premium” toilets? Have you *been* into those bathrooms? They’re the same thing, with *maybe* an extra bottle of lotion. I probably flew about 40k of business class last year (out of 60k total), and there was never a discernible difference in the lavs.
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:30 am |
The first class lavs tend to be cleaner, since they’re used less often. (Not because first class customers have better aim.
) But they may not be cleaner than coach lavs much longer.
March 5th, 2007 at 1:00 pm |
This post really made me laugh!
March 20th, 2007 at 3:16 pm |
hilarious!!!
March 21st, 2007 at 1:10 pm |
In my experience, on AA long-hauls (mainly overnights) with 3 classes of service, the Business Class toilet usually had the lines, so I would frequently use the unencumbered coach loos. Trickle down effect?
August 11th, 2007 at 4:14 pm |
I fly apprx 90k miles a year with about 65k in first class (sometimes business class if transcontinental) and 25k in coach. I never use the first class toilets when I am seated in coach as I do not like it when coach passengers use the first class toilets when I am in first class (except, of course, for the little old lady or child).
A passenger who pays a premium price or uses their FF status to upgrade to first class should have private facilities. The more passengers frequenting the toilet the more disgusting it becomes. Plus, having to wait in line due to coach passengers (after paying more than 3-10x the cost of a coach ticket) is ridiculous.
To MB- Yes, there are some toilets in first class that are “premium toilets” lol (see MB’s comment)….meaning the stalls are twice the size and there is a large vanity area. However, on domestic flights, I have yet to see a “premium toilet”…that is anything but the standard tiny stall.