Inoperable Lavatory

FlyChicaga · December 26th, 2005, 13:16

You have just completed boarding on the aircraft, and are finishing the last minute paperwork before departing on a red-eye flight. All passengers are on board, and the aircraft is full. While finishing initializing the FMS, a passenger comes up to the flight attendant and says that the only lavatory on board is "continuously flushing." You go back to check, and it is in fact running non-stop.

You are at an outstation, and it's five minutes to departure time. The flight will be about two and a half hours takeoff to touchdown, and contract maintenance will take a while to come out and just look at the problem, if they can even fix it. You can MEL the lavatory, but that means no toilet for the whole flight. While you are thinking, the gate agent keeps reminding you that half the aircraft is connecting to an international destination without a second flight for the day.

What do you do?

CaptainChris87 · December 26th, 2005, 13:31

I'd tell them the truth....for the number 1 priority is to get the pax to their destinations safely and on time......... I had a mesaba flight once and there was a box on the lav telling us it was out of order it was only an hr flight though.

BobDDuck · December 26th, 2005, 13:35

2.5 hours is too long. Granted, it is a red eye so hopefully people will just sleep through it, but you can't count on that. For a shorter duration flight MELing the lav is no big deal but with that length, despite the international connections I don't think you have an option but to delay until MX can take a look at it. The time lost getting them out there would be offset by the fact that if you do go, you are going to have to let everybody off the plane anyways to use the ground based facilities before you go.

GrantHubbell · December 26th, 2005, 13:49

I'd call a contract MX out to the a/c and give him 1/2 hour to work on lav and try to fix it. I would plan that he couldn't fix it (plan for the worst), and let some people de-plane and use the bathroom in the airport while the MX worked on the lav. If the lav isn't fixed in the half hour I gave the MX to work on it, then too bad!! We are going!!!

DE727UPS · December 26th, 2005, 13:58

You at least gotta tell the pax about it and give them a chance to get off the plane and go. Take 20 minutes for that. I was on a Mesa RJ 900 once (it was the only option) and I was sitting back by the lav, which was out of service. The plane only had 20 pax but I thought it was kinda rude they didn't mention the lav was inop before the flight (LAS-GEG, 2.5 hrs). I mean, it was a red eye and some of us had a few beers, I'm sure. Anyhow, I asked the FA about it and they said the one up front was working fine. I felt kinda dumb that I hadn't noticed there WAS one up front.

TonyC · December 26th, 2005, 14:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyChicaga

... the only lavatory on board is "continuously flushing." You go back to check, and it is in fact running non-stop.

What do you do?

Pull the circuit breaker.

.

Doug Taylor · December 26th, 2005, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainChris87

I'd tell them the truth....for the number 1 priority is to get the pax to their destinations safely and on time......... I had a mesaba flight once and there was a box on the lav telling us it was out of order it was only an hr flight though.

Nuts! 2 1/2 hours on an aircraft with 50 passengers and no lavatory? I can tell you that there are people that wouldn't dispatch with a jet with inop lavs for more than a 45 minute flight.

Fix it or pull the breaker, but dispatching on a 150 minute flight with an inop lav is nuts!

EDUC8-or · December 26th, 2005, 18:03

2.5 hours in an RJ is insanity. 2.5 in an RJ with no LAV is like being in the looney bin. Can't go, call outstation MX (probably knowing they can't fix it) and have them take a look. Then have them bring some speed tape and stick a porta-potty on each wing and launch.

GrantHubbell · December 26th, 2005, 21:44

dont serv any drinks! 8)

TonyC · December 27th, 2005, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

Nuts! 2 1/2 hours on an aircraft with 50 passengers and no lavatory? I can tell you that there are people that wouldn't dispatch with a jet with inop lavs for more than a 45 minute flight.

Fix it or pull the breaker, but dispatching on a 150 minute flight with an inop lav is nuts!

But, it's not INOP!

(Yes, I'm being facetious.)

It's just flushing too much!

So, pull the breaker until someone needs to use it, then reset for 15 seconds, and pull it again.

LATHER, RINSE, REPEAT.

Doug Taylor · December 27th, 2005, 13:59

True dat!

Word to the newbies: Don't walk in any blue puddles on the ramp whilst walking around

CapnJim · December 27th, 2005, 14:21

Just MEL the damn thing and go. Circuit breaker E-11, little sticker on the door, lock it, get the people to thier connecting flight. Give the annoying gate agent a task - tell her to go make a PA to the passengers waiting at the gate about the lav. Gets her out of your hair and gives the people a chance to go beforehand.

It's Golden Rule the way I see it, if you'll pardon the expression. If you were a passsenger, would you rather be make your connection or go to the bathroom? Me too.

And when the 'potty emergency' happens enroute, and it will, you can either send them in there with a bottle of Crystal Geyser (again, pardon the expression...) to do thier own bowl-rinsing, or you can wait till they're out and push the circuit breaker in for a few seconds. And don't give me that malarkey about it being against regs to reset circuit breakers in-flight. That's for fire risks. This ain't a fire risk.

GrantHubbell · December 27th, 2005, 14:50

They can still go, they just might get some blue goo on their arse!

Kingairer · December 27th, 2005, 22:47

Pass out a few bags of Depends and everyone is happy...Those lazy bastards dont even have to get out of their seat now. Fasten Seat Belt sign...ON. And everyones a winner!

Doug Taylor · December 28th, 2005, 00:54

Or the "If you paid more for your ticket, this airline would be making money in order to have regularly staffed maintenance here in order to fix the crapper! I've got all the barf bags you need and an extra USA Today I snagged from my neighbor at the layover hotel, enjoy."

TonyC · December 28th, 2005, 11:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnJim

Give the annoying gate agent a task - tell her to go make a PA to the passengers waiting at the gate about the lav. Gets her out of your hair and gives the people a chance to go beforehand.

Re-read the question - - boarding is complete.

.

Theotokos · December 28th, 2005, 16:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyC

Re-read the question - - boarding is complete.

.

Let her make an announcment to a bunch of pretend pax. It will get here out your hair! :-)

skywestseth · December 28th, 2005, 19:16

When you see lav inop signs on the lav doors, that means airline management is trying to save money right before they cut the pilots salary....again.

Kingairer · December 28th, 2005, 23:53

All it takes is for one lady to pee in your seat one day for your opinions on this topic to change.

pilot602 · January 26th, 2006, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingairer

All it takes is for one lady to pee in your seat one day for your opinions on this topic to change.

Pee? Hell try having a husband tap you on the shoulder and tell you his wife needs to go #2 (no lav at all onboard) you shrug and say sorry so hubby, holding a barf bag beneat her her while 16 other folks watch on in horror, makes the "save of the day" ...

I'd take pee in a seat in a heartbeat.

Doug Taylor · January 26th, 2006, 00:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilot602

Pee? Hell try having a husband tap you on the shoulder and tell you his wife needs to go #2 (no lav at all onboard) you shrug and say sorry so hubby, holding a barf bag beneat her her while 16 other folks watch on in horror, makes the "save of the day" ...

Did you say, "Make sure you say 'trick-or-treat' first, the other passengers'll love it"

HH-60CC · January 26th, 2006, 17:40

Install a backup toilet device, C-130 style

It's not glamourus, but it doesnt require any flushing hehe

Doug Taylor · January 26th, 2006, 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by HH-60CC

Install a backup toilet device, C-130 style

It's not glamourus, but it doesnt require any flushing hehe

I can see it already:

"Atlanta radio, flight 1219..."

"Flight 1219 go ahead..."

"We need the maintenance coordinator and dispatcher 39"

"Standby"

"Flight 1219, this is the Maintenance Coordinator"

"Yeah, ahh, we need one of those military surplus C-130 backup toilets"

(silence)

"Hello?"

MrLeisure757 · January 29th, 2006, 10:47

While working at the Vineyard Airport this summer, a Saab 340 came in from LGA with police waiting on the ground. Turns out, the Lavatory was inop. and a man had decided to take a leak in the aisle when told it was broken. He was in a wee bit of trouble.

AZBigDog · January 29th, 2006, 13:21

Jiggle the handle.