JAL Confirms Toilet Ban

[Mulboyne]

Yomiuri: JAL to prohibit use of toilets during landing, takeoff
The difficult question of whether a flight attendant should allow a passenger to use the lavatory during landing or takeoff has been decided on by Japan Airlines. The airline has decided to, in principle, prohibit passengers from using the bathroom in such cases following a cockpit saftey investigation, it has been learned...According to sources, JAL will end its practice of having crew members ask the captain to permit a passenger to use the toilet during preparations for landing or takeoff. The company is scheduled to begin the ban on use of the toilet during takeoff and landing in August--one of the busiest times of the year, sources said...Increased efforts will be made to ensure passengers go to the toilet at times other than during landing or takeoff, sources said...The sources said the company will revise its flight rules to prohibit passengers using the toilet during the period 25 minutes prior to takeoff and landing, in principle...more...

[Doctor Stop]

Those JAL diapers they're going to have to issue are going to become collectors items once they have to abandon this fascist policy.

[xenomorph42]

Those JAL diapers they're going to have to issue are going to become collectors items once they have to abandon this fascist policy.

Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go! If they want the passengers to create a toxic environmental hazard 10.000ft. in the air, then by all means, let them go through with this yet, again, another much to do about nothing.

[Midwinter]

Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go! If they want the passengers to create a toxic environmental hazard 10.000ft. in the air, then by all means, let them go through with this yet, again, another much to do about nothing.

Seriously? We're all adults, what the fuck is wrong with you that you can't manage your own bowel movements? God gave us brains so we wouldn't shit in our pants, I suggest some of us use them instead of complaining all the time.

[alicia454]

Gee, most subways. commuter trains, and buses don't have toilets, and yet people are able to ride these everyday for more than an hour without any problems. Why is so hard to force people to wait less than hour on a plane, until the plane is at cruising altitude, before allowing them to go to the washroom?

Only in extreme cases, if a person is sick, should they make an exemption, but then in such a case that person should not be allowed to fly.

Which brings up another question. What happens if a person is really sick, and the airport or airline staff think that they should not fly before the cabin doors close? Is that sick person able to get another flight, or do they end up losing hundreds or thousands of dollars on their ticket? If it is a return flight, what happens if the sick person becomes stranded and unable to return home?

Personally I think it is best for everyone if their was a free health clinic at an airport departure level, that a sick passenger can freely visit, and if the doctors think they are too sick, they can get a free replacement flight for another date. That would be better than exposing everyone on the plane to one person's illness.

[Greji]

Seriously? We're all adults, what the fuck is wrong with you that you can't manage your own bowel movements? God gave us brains so we wouldn't shit in our pants, I suggest some of us use them instead of complaining all the time.

At my age you can never trust a fart. Can I complain about that? ......(and that is God given!)

[MeinJapanLongTime]

You're supposed to get to the airport an hour or two before your flight anyway. There's always facilities inside the airport to hit before you get into that boarding line. Go before you get into that line.

[Mock Cockpit]

Doesn't sound like many of you blokes have travelled with kids.

[tidbits]

Doesn't sound like many of you blokes have travelled with kids.

Ditto the above.

[Midwinter]

Doesn't sound like many of you blokes have travelled with kids.

Assuming this is true for a moment, why are you letting your kids a)go to the toilet during the most dangerous part of airtravel and b) not teaching them self-control.

[Kuang_Grade]

I think this has been pretty much standard procedure for US airlines for as long as I can remember, although they may let you use them prior to the doors being shut for takeoff but they weren't super hard nosed about it...but after 9/11, it became more 'sit your fucking ass down or you will arrested upon arrival' kind of thing.

[GuyJean]

.. b) not teaching them self-control.

Hope you remember this next time your sitting next to a 9-month old's shitty diaper as you wait at the gate for takeoff; you can also learn the value of self control.

GJ

[Greji]

Assuming this is true for a moment, why are you letting your kids a)go to the toilet during the most dangerous part of airtravel and b) not teaching them self-control.

Flying for 8-10 hours on some non-stop flights can lead to some serious problems for crumb snatchers, no matter how well they've been house broken. I take it you don't have many rug rats there Mid?

[Midwinter]

Flying for 8-10 hours on some non-stop flights can lead to some serious problems for crumb snatchers, no matter how well they've been house broken. I take it you don't have many rug rats there Mid?

That's neither here nor there as I won't go into such details online, Greji. But tell me this mate, why don't you have them to go to the toilet before the "curfew" kicks into effect? I simply don't see why this is so hard to do. The no poo window is so small as to be insignificant, so why is this even an issue for responsible parents?

[Mulboyne]

...why don't you have them to go to the toilet before the "curfew" kicks into effect? I simply don't see why this is so hard to do. The no poo window is so small as to be insignificant, so why is this even an issue for responsible parents?

Children don't poo and piss to order. You can be the best parent in the world with the greatest kids but still run into bother on that front.

[omae mona]

Gee, most subways. commuter trains, and buses don't have toilets, and yet people are able to ride these everyday for more than an hour without any problems.

Except the ones who do have problems. Do you know what they do? They get off the subway, commuter train, or bus, and visit the toilet. This trick doesn't work on an airplane for reasons you may not have considered yet. I will leave that as a little puzzle for you to figure out.

In addition to the issue with children which somebody pointed out, another issue is queues. I have been on many a flight where the 2 restrooms serving 300 economy class passengers (or whatever) have long lines, particularly at the end of an international flight when everybody wakes up from their naps at the same time. I've frequently seen these lines persist until right before landing. The flight crew does not even think of enforcing the "return to seat" indicators.

[tidbits]

Assuming this is true for a moment, why are you letting your kids a)go to the toilet during the most dangerous part of airtravel and b) not teaching them self-control.

You are just assuming things, both a) and b). The statement made is simply as it is, as by the way some of the people commented on things, quickly shown that they don't have experience travelling with kids, that's all.

[Mike Oxlong]

The stresses of travel, the strange food, and the jet lag do nothing to help the kids retain their expert training in ninja bladder & bowel control.

[xenomorph42]

Flying for 8-10 hours on some non-stop flights can lead to some serious problems for crumb snatchers, no matter how well they've been house broken. I take it you don't have many rug rats there Mid?

I agree! When nature calls and you have an 8-10 hour flight and just when you made sure to empty the child's bladder, all of a sudden, they need to go again.
Kids and the elderly usually can't always hold it, no matter how much they try.
It's easy for people to make those kinds of statements if they don't have kids.

[nottu]

[wuchan]

This whole thing is a big to do about nothing and very telling. I've travelled with my children for years including back and forth between the US and Japan when they were very young - no problem. Perhaps because its easy to do things to alleviate the need for using the bathroom during takeoff and landing but this requires some sense of consideration of others. This was common procedure culturally in the past but consideration for others has been declining over the years especially among Americans. In fact, I believe they take some type of enjoyment in taking a child to the bathroom during takeoff especially if that child is screaming all the way down the aisle. It places everyone's focus squarely on them which they enjoy very much. When they return to their seats they kick their fat asses back and put their foot up on the armrest of the passenger in front of them while their little bastard opens and closes the food tray for the next several hours. For this reason, I try to stay off US airlines whenever possible.

well, we hate you too.

but really, WAH WAH WAH. You are worse than the screaming kids. Try holding an 18 month old kid with a diaper full of milk, protein and vitamin based shit for 25 minutes. I bet you can't. We don't enjoy the fact that everyone on the plane is giving us the death stare, we just want to get rid of the shitty diaper. In my many travels I have noticed that brits, ozzies and kiwis are just as bad as americans or worse, especially after a pint or two.

[nottu]

[wuchan]

I'm no FG whiner, as I said I just take a different airline. I'll leave AA to your dysfunction.

I won't travel US carriers until they install the larger seats and stop charging five bucks for a drink. Shit, I just dumped 1k on a fucking ticket, the least they could do is get me drunk.

[nottu]

[Mock Cockpit]

Singapore is the best. However, they don't allow children under 10 years of age.

Since when? Any airline that attempts to introduce a rule like that will be signing their own doom as an on-going entity.

[Number11]

The problem for any age passenger is not when their system is operating normally, it's when something abnormal is happening. Sometimes something crappy in the food or drink you've consumed at or on the way to the airport combines with some a long delay on the tarmac to make your system out of your control.

That rare instance is when you find yourself with a dilemma. You've held out for 40 minutes and the seatbelt sign is still lit as you're smoothly passing through 15,000 feet. Do you crap in your pants like a toddler or go to the toilet and be scolded like a toddler by the airplane ladies?

I'm going to the toilet.

[Iraira]

Since when? Any airline that attempts to introduce a rule like that will be signing their own doom as an on-going entity.

As long as Singapore Airlines keeps with the policy of hiring stewardesses with nice rumps who seem to magnetically collide them into my elbow several times a flight, they will always be in business.

[Tsuru]

Since when? Any airline that attempts to introduce a rule like that will be signing their own doom as an on-going entity.

I take it you have never seen one of those business-class only flights.... No kids allowed full stop.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I take it you have never seen one of those business-class only flights.... No kids allowed full stop.

Goddam, there's no substitute for money.

[tidbits]

There are lots of places/ areas that do not allow kids- theatres, hotels and restaurants etc. That is why at one point, some mothers find lockers were useful.