Comments on: Potty break denied

By: Sacks

Sacks — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:02:16 +0000

Many crucial facts were left out of this story. The plane was delayed on the tarmac for over an hour and the crew apparently did not recognize that some passengers needed to use the restroom. Pollard testified at trial that she had used the restroom just before the flight took off, but had a cold and had been drinking a lot of fluids. There was no medical problem, just a person who really had to use the restroom, as we all do from time to time. The F.A.A. has put agents on flights to watch flight attendants due the number of complaints about inappropriate flight attendant conduct. Pollard won the defamation claim she filed against the airline by a 12-0 jury verdict in Los Angeles.

By: Lydia

Lydia — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:14:51 +0000

Safety has to be the first priority. I saw a little boy, probably 11 or 12 years old who peed his pants not once but twice on a flight from Dallas to Seattle. He was sitting across from me, and was squirming and doing a little dance as we taxied to the runway, and before we even took off, his jeans were soaked. He had wanted to get up, but his mom told him he couldn’t until the seat belt sign was off. His mom gave him more underwear and jeans and he changed in the lavatory once the seat belt sign was off, but it was soon back on for turbulence, and the boy was squirming again, and soon wet himself again. Both mom and boy were very embarrassed. I had my daughter with me who was 4 1/2 at the time. She wet the bed at the time and always fell asleep on car and plane trips, so she was wearing a toddler sized diaper. I had some extras, and she was able to get one on her boy and put a blanket over him, as they didn’t have any more pants for him. He wore the blanket like a towel around him, and he was doing a potty dance as everyone started shuffling off the plane. He told his mom he had to go and did the best he could, but then I heard him tell his mom that he had another accident. I asked if he had frequent accidents. She said only very occasionally did he wet his pants, and couldn’t believe he had done it three times in a row. She then told me they had a 4 hour drive home, so I asked her if she wanted a few more diapers. She said she couldn’t believe it, but yes, she thought that would be a good idea. The little guy started to cry a bit, knowing he’d be diapered. I felt terrible for him, but the airlines couldn’t put him in danger to have avoided these, and this mom knew that.

By: lisa

lisa — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:23:20 +0000

Passengers not properly seated can cause the plane to lose it’s take-off position. Why should an entire plane be inconvenienced and likely delayed for one person’s entitlement attitude? If necessary, wear the Depends, or don’t travel by air.

By: AllanJ

AllanJ — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:48:28 +0000

Would it have helped to use the potty immediately after boarding, before departure?

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 20:47:10 +0000

I am 34 yrs old and was a flight attendant and I have Interstital Cystitis. I have severe urgency and frequency. Going to the bathroom before the flight does nothing other than releive you at the moment. I can have severe pain every ten to twenty minutes. It attacks you suddenly without warning. It can be unavoidable. Wearing a diaper is the only alternative. People who have no idea what it feels like can offer solutions such as… medication, don’t drink, etc but not everything works for every sufferer. Please be sympathetic to these silent sufferers. As far as flying… ring your flight attendant call button if you are not allowed to get up and explain the situation. Otherwise if you are almost ready to take off ring your call button as soon as you are airbourne. Do not hestitate to show your pain. Who cares if you look like a wacko, you’ll never see these people again.

By: robin

robin — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 01:35:04 +0000

Many people experience incontinence, including myself. Most people learn to plan for the emergencies, such as going before boarding the plane, using appropriate incontinence pads, and some even take a prescription medicine. In other words, since those mentioned in the article are so well educated and well travelled, they should know about the FAA rules and how to prepare for their needs.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 16:34:47 +0000

I have sympathy for Ms. Pollard’s condition. However, since the condition had existed for a year for this well-educated person, I would ask the seemingly obvious questions:
- why hadn’t she relieved herself before the point when it became an emergency for her, causing her to create an incident that inconvenienced 100 other people?
- why doesn’t she wear Depends or a similar product?

By: Nancy Lewis

Nancy Lewis — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:02:39 +0000

If it is not safe for passengers to use the WC while waiting to take off, why is it ok for flight attendants? I am a once-a-year type vacation flyer, and on our trip from Orlando to Atlanta I saw a Delta flight attendant duck into the restroom while the plane was moving toward the runway to take off. Is that why they turn off the lights?