Use of the toilets at the front

[Cyberon]

Before everyone could use the toilets at the front of the plane, but my last domestic trip they deliberately blocked it off to only the premium seats.
That would mean if you sat in row 3, you would need to go to the back of the plane! Does anyone know if this is a recent change as they have never done this before.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Qantas? Perhaps a 737-8?

Did you mean row 4?

 

[mannej]

Qantas? Perhaps a 737-8?

Did you mean row 4?

No the OP is talking about Virgin.

 

[tuapekastar]

Before everyone could use the toilets at the front of the plane, but my last domestic trip they deliberately blocked it off to only the premium seats.
That would mean if you sat in row 3, you would need to go to the back of the plane! Does anyone know if this is a recent change as they have never done this before.

Afraid I cannot answer your question, but I do have an opinion on it. This is a good thing IMHO. I was, unusually for me, in J on a QF domestic 738 flight recently (yep, I know this is the Virgin forum but the same principle applies) and a lot of people came from Y through the curtains to use the front toilet. I don't think they should. I'm not an overly frequent flyer but when I do so domestically and Trans-Tasman with QF on a 738 I am usually seated in row 4, the first row of economy, and I will dutifully make the trek down to the back of the plane every time. There will always be exceptions, such as when the aisle is blocked by a service trolley, but people, IMHO, should stick to the loos in the cabin they are seated in and paid for. QF or DJ or any other airline.

 

[Sprucegoose]

No the OP is talking about Virgin.

Yep it's a good thing they are blocked off. VA are certainly getting into the swing of things here. The riff raff must be wondering what the hells going on!

 

[Justchecking]

Yes, its recent. Since 18 jan front loo is for business only. Get over it. Its not like the back of the plane is really far away. you'd have to walk 30 odd meters anywhere to use a public loo.

 

[elemist]

I had the reverse happen too me...

I was flying the new J product on Virgin. I must have mis heard the announcement RE toilets because i thought they said one at the front, or two at the back. I used one of the rear ones a couple of times before the one of the stewardess's greeted me by name and mentioned that the toilet i was using was for economy and i was welcome to use the toilet on the other side which was for J only.

Honestly though i didn't notice a great deal of difference - i didn't have to ever queue for either of them, the products were similar - just better branded soap and a moisturiser.

That said i do agree with J toilets being for J only (with the exception of emergencies of coarse). J passengers pay a premium rate for a premium service including our own toilet! haha

 

[darrend]

Yes, its recent. Since 18 jan front loo is for business only. Get over it. Its not like the back of the plane is really far away. you'd have to walk 30 odd meters anywhere to use a public loo.

In fact it was on/before Jan 14 - last flight I took was Jan 14 and the barriers were up then. I had three sectors that day and each had a barrier up.

As for using front toilets - it did annoy me when it was PE and folks would come forward, often queuing in the PE space and often I would need to wait for the loo. I recall that I almost always had the thought that I paid for a premium product and was annoyed I was not getting it. So am more than happy in respect to the new arrangements.

Photo was taken on OOL to SYD leg 14 Jan 12 - the barrier was up at that point.

 

[Justchecking]

As for using front toilets - it did annoy me when it was PE and folks would come forward, often queuing in the PE space....

I've never understood the phenomenon of queing up for a toilet anyway. Why not wait in your seat until its vacant? The loo isnt going anywhere you can see if its empty without needing to stand in the aisle or on top of someone else. My other bug bear people standing on top of me in the aisle chatting to the person sitting in the window or middle seat. Do I really have to listen to your conversation for the entire flight? And can't it wait an hour or two?

 

[QF WP]

I took a photo of the new process on Tuesday (17th) - it was on one of the new planes (VH-YID Rainbow Beach).



We were then on VH-ZPF on the return with the old cabin and no bulkhead - yet no-one ventured forward from Y to use the loos.

 

[bossreggie]

As I don't sit in the rear of the plane I don't use those toilets. I appreciate the same in return.

In a narrow body aircraft, during service, I do appreiate thatt it is less inconvenient to use the front toillet than to try and make your way past the trolley.

My main peeve is when J pax try to use the F toilet. Coming back from LHR last week there was a woman and her child coming up using the toilet. I had to wait for her so I complained. She was spoken to and it ceased.

 

[Flashback]

I took a photo of the new process on Tuesday (17th) - it was on one of the new planes (VH-YID Rainbow Beach).

View attachment 5485

We were then on VH-ZPF on the return with the old cabin and no bulkhead - yet no-one ventured forward from Y to use the loos.

Both my flights to/from Melbourne in November had the front toilets blocked to J passengers only on DJ.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using AustFreqFly

 

[drron]

As I don't sit in the rear of the plane I don't use those toilets. I appreciate the same in return.

In a narrow body aircraft, during service, I do appreiate thatt it is less inconvenient to use the front toillet than to try and make your way past the trolley.

My main peeve is when J pax try to use the F toilet. Coming back from LHR last week there was a woman and her child coming up using the toilet. I had to wait for her so I complained. She was spoken to and it ceased.

I hope she wasn't a comedian letting her child play there!

 

[zig]

I didn't think this was new practice. On a virgin flight early last year, when it was just premium economy at the front I observed staff sending passengers to the rear toilets when they attempted to use the front one.

 

[QF WP]

They (Virgin) have the FA process down pat - blocking between J & Y using the magnetised rope on the new aircraft with the bulkhead, directions during flight and blocking exit to Y pax when deboarding.

QF have a way to go

 

[thegurio]

They (Virgin) have the FA process down pat - blocking between J & Y using the magnetised rope on the new aircraft with the bulkhead, directions during flight and blocking exit to Y pax when deboarding.

QF have a way to go

Its quite amusing watching people who don't fly often, and cclearly only in Y, wonder why they can't leave the plane before the people in front. I have to hold my tongue when I want to remind them that they paid about a fifth of what the people in front of you have and therefore they deserve a bit more attention and likewise expect a bit more!

 

[trooper]

Why queue?

..because as sure as cough if you don't, someone else will beat you to it....

Likelihood of that happening is, as usual, in direct proportion to the urgency of the need! :shock:

 

[777]

Why queue?

..because as sure as cough if you don't, someone else will beat you to it....

Likelihood of that happening is, as usual, in direct proportion to the urgency of the need! :shock:

Actually that's the worst thing about this change as someone who regularly sits in row 3. Now i will need queue because i can't simply wait for a gap and step up.

I get why they do this but it's actually the row 3, 4, 5 etc punters who are most inconvenienced.

 

[LiamR]

My understanding is that all flights after Jan 18 now have the mag stip blocking Y Pax, as well as the FA standing in between Row 2/3 during deborading. Some FAs chose to do this before the full J rollout.

My advice? Use the bathroom in the lounge before you board, they are a hell of a lot nicer.

Actually that's the worst thing about this change as someone who regularly sits in row 3. Now i will need queue because i can't simply wait for a gap and step up.

I get why they do this but it's actually the row 3, 4, 5 etc punters who are most inconvenienced.

I've often thought it might be better to block off from row 5 onwards. But that creats a whole different set of logistical problems.

 

[777]

My advice? Use the bathroom in the lounge before you board, they are a hell of a lot nicer.

Not always compatible with my "i'll just squeeze in one more drink" approach.