Business class and toilets

[vbroucek]

This is a rant, sorry.

I have problem understanding why VA makes front lavatory on B737-800 available to business class passengers only. The bird has 8 business class seats and 168 economy class seats. There are three toilets on this bird. One in front and two at the back. The one in the front is reserved for 8 business class passengers only and the 168 economy have to share two toilets at the back... Never seen it before, and I do travel business class only if flights longer than 3 hours... Seen this on VA1315 yesterday...

 

[RooFlyer]

Its almost universal across airlines that I've used that business toilets are for business pax only, regardless of aircraft type; and F toilets for F pax only.

Its to help ensure that the J facilities are available for J pax when they want to use them, and also to stop a procession of Y pax through the J cabin. Sounds elitist I know, but that's the name of the game when you are paying for Business or First

 

[Pleb Status]

This is a rant, sorry.

I have problem understanding why VA makes front lavatory on B737-800 available to business class passengers only. The bird has 8 business class seats and 168 economy class seats. There are three toilets on this bird. One in front and two at the back. The one in the front is reserved for 8 business class passengers only and the 168 economy have to share two toilets at the back... Never seen it before, and I do travel business class only if flights longer than 3 hours... Seen this on VA1315 yesterday...

This is no different to almost every other (decent) airline in the entire world that operates a two (or more) class aircraft...

 

[Justinf]

My last few flights on QF have been with the J toilet open to everyone.

 

[Pushka]

That's why business class is so much more expensive

 

[vbroucek]

I have been on 100+ intra Europe business class flights on LH/LX/OS and there is no blocking of business class toilets on these flights. I can understand it on long/medium haul flights, but on less than 90 minutes flight I find it ridiculous... Yes, I agree, price makes the difference, but... Well, let's leave it open, but I would never ever pay premium for C class on such a short flight unless it was included as a part of long haul flight (feeder)...

 

[vbroucek]

Its to help ensure that the J facilities are available for J pax when they want to use them, and also to stop a procession of Y pax through the J cabin. Sounds elitist I know, but that's the name of the game when you are paying for Business or First

No, it does not sound elitist. But not on less than 90 minutes flight...

This is no different to almost every other (decent) airline in the entire world that operates a two (or more) class aircraft...

Not true, see my post above.

My last few flights on QF have been with the J toilet open to everyone.

Same...

That's why business class is so much more expensive

See my post above...

 

[Pushka]

I have been on 100+ intra Europe business class flights on LH/LX/OS and there is no blocking of business class toilets on these flights. I can understand it on long/medium haul flights, but on less than 90 minutes flight I find it ridiculous... Yes, I agree, price makes the difference, but... Well, let's leave it open, but I would never ever pay premium for C class on such a short flight unless it was included as a part of long haul flight (feeder)...

Well this is Australia and Qantas and Virgin see fit to do so. Them's the breaks.

 

[RooFlyer]

I have been on 100+ intra Europe business class flights on LH/LX/OS and there is no blocking of business class toilets on these flights. I can understand it on long/medium haul flights, but on less than 90 minutes flight I find it ridiculous... Yes, I agree, price makes the difference, but... Well, let's leave it open, but I would never ever pay premium for C class on such a short flight unless it was included as a part of long haul flight (feeder)...

Fair 'nuf. but intra-Europe on one airline (Lufthansa group) does not a rule or trend make. And Euro Business isn't 'real' business anyway, so allowing a free-for-all on the toilets is probably understandable.

 

[JohnPhelan]

My last few flights on QF have been with the J toilet open to everyone.

Well that's not QF policy on 737 aircraft - the front toilet is for J pax (and crew) only. It's part of the standard CSM announcement just after the aircraft is airborne. But whether crew choose to police it or not is another matter.

 

[Denali]

You know what also sucks, those people in J also get a better meal and free booze... oh wait, but they pay for it.

As someone that usually sits in row 1D, I dont want a line of people walking past me to use the toilet or standing around waiting so I encourage VA to uphold the magical demarcation magnetic rope line and keep the peeing hoards that cant control their bladder for <3.5hrs to the back of the plane.

 

[knasty]

The only time I've seen VA open up the front toilet is when J was empty. As long as there is one pax in J it's a J toilet.

 

[Mattg]

Sorry, but I'm going to back VA (and pretty much every other airline that operates a business class cabin) on this one. If you're paying for business, you should have the right not to have to queue up for ages behind economy passengers. Another thing you pay for with business class is privacy - and there's nothing worse then a constant stream of economy passengers walking through the cabin.

I recall a QF 737 flight recently where the front toilets were not policed. As a J passenger I waited 15 minutes behind a queue of Y passengers - that's not the experience I paid for. The CSM was apologetic but claimed there was nothing she could do as they removed the curtain on the refurbished 737s.

An exception could be made for elderly and/or disabled passengers, and/or if there's a cart blocking the aisle on a single-aisle aircraft. But generally, the J toilet should be for J passengers only.

 

[Pushka]

As a usually economy passenger I get annoyed when other economy passengers move to the front bathroom. I think it's arrogance. The only exception is if the trolley is in the way but usually that isn't the case.

 

[Ausbt]

Last Friday my VA went tech and was cancelled. They looked after me, slotting me onto the next flight, but I had to go to Row 29 - and I almost never sit anywhere other than Row 3. The thing is, I couldn't believe the number of pax getting up to use the toilet! Normally I never see any of this, but it was just a constant stream with a queue of about 5 at any time. Hindered the FA's getting the trolley out. There were young-ish people too, I mean one day I'll probably have some level of incontinence but really people, it's a 1 hour 30 flight.

 

[Warks]

Flew VA1519/1520 last week (SYD-TSV) and J was empty both ways so a few pax used the J dunny as the forcefield wasn't in place. It's only a 2.5 hour flight but I saw the same woman (only about 30) use the toilet twice in each direction - bladder problems? I avoid using the toilets on planes where possible on these short flights but on longer flights find myself going up to 6 times on a 14 hour flight because I'm trying to stay hydrated and my body does what it can to ensure I'm not...

 

[kpc]

When travelling in row 4 on QF, I have had the QF FA whisper to me that I can use the front toilet rather than trudge all the way to the back....VA are a lot more stringent, and even if you are in the first row of Y, they make you use the toilets down the back....which is often blocked by the cart When you gotta go, you gotta go....

I personally have no problem with the occas. Y pax using the J toilet when I'm in row 1. How about the J pax using the Y toilet?...Sometimes the one pax is taking FOREVER in the one and only J toilet, and I have trudged all the way to the back from row 1...ps I actually think it is a bit offensive that some would judge others' (frequent) toilet visits...ever been on a diuretic??

 

[Denali]

Privacy in your cabin in one of the perks in flying J, otherwise Im going to waltz myself up to the Apartments or the Suites next time Im flying SQ or EY because I feel entitled to use their facilities.

 

[Pushka]

Flew VA1519/1520 last week (SYD-TSV) and J was empty both ways so a few pax used the J dunny as the forcefield wasn't in place. It's only a 2.5 hour flight but I saw the same woman (only about 30) use the toilet twice in each direction - bladder problems? I avoid using the toilets on planes where possible on these short flights but on longer flights find myself going up to 6 times on a 14 hour flight because I'm trying to stay hydrated and my body does what it can to ensure I'm not...

I have to drink a lot of water on planes due to DVT risk from a blood clotting disorder. Perhaps the lady was pregnant. Perhaps she had a uti.

 

[TonyHancock]

I saw the J toilets for J pax "rule", strictly enforced by crew on CX, KA, and MU flights let week all on flights of approx two hours. BA crew has also enforced it on the LHR-OSL/SVG/BGO/TXL/DUS/ATH/CPH flights I have taken this year.