Inoperable Lavatory
- Thread starter FlyChicaga
- Start date
HH-60CC said:
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
New Member
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.
taildragger173
Well-Known Member
I'd take a vote with the passengers. If most of them want to go, then we go. If most dont want to, we dont go.
desertdog71
Girthy Member
Speaking from my trucker background. I say supply a few empty Gatorade bottles, and also a 5 gallon bucket with a supply of trashliners if someone needs to drop a duece. But thats just me. 
Brazilian_Pilot
Well-Known Member
I'd just let passengers crap and piss on the seats. So that the next set of passangers can bitch and moan about how dirty the plane is even though they only paid 69.99 for a roundtrip ticket to florida and the airline is probably on the verge of bankrupcy and cant even afford to maintain the lav!!!!!!!!!!!
CFIscare
Well-Known Member
This actually has happened to me. I was on a US 170 from MCI to PHL, when shortly after take-off, the capt. came on and told us that the lavs were "full", and that we would have a vote. We could either continue on to PHL and hold it in, or we could divert to IND where we would have it fixed. Everybody voted to continue, and continue we did.
I also know of another story, this time on a 3 hour DCA-MCI CRJ flight on US. The lav broke mid-flight, and as always, a lady had an "emergency". The capt., a furloughed US mainline pilot, explained that they would divert so she could go. However, she didn't want to cause such a delay, so she painfully held it in until they landed at MCI.
My dad knew this guy, and talked to him about it. What he told him is exactly what should have been done. There is NO need to divert. Instead of wasting thousands and thousands of dollars, let the woman #### in the toilet and just don't flush it. When you land in MCI, have somebody clean it out. Sure it won't be fun, but why cause such a big delay and waste so much money just to avoid having a turd sitting in the john for half the flight?
I would explain to the passengers that the only lav wasn't working, and that instead of taking a big delay with half the plane missing their connections, I would fly the flight on schedule, and that everybody should go before the flight. If anybody knows they wouldn't be able to hold it, the airline will put them on a later flight free of charge. And in case an "emergency" comes up mid-flight, well, there will be a turd or some piss in the toilet until we land, and everybody would just deal with it.
I also know of another story, this time on a 3 hour DCA-MCI CRJ flight on US. The lav broke mid-flight, and as always, a lady had an "emergency". The capt., a furloughed US mainline pilot, explained that they would divert so she could go. However, she didn't want to cause such a delay, so she painfully held it in until they landed at MCI.
My dad knew this guy, and talked to him about it. What he told him is exactly what should have been done. There is NO need to divert. Instead of wasting thousands and thousands of dollars, let the woman #### in the toilet and just don't flush it. When you land in MCI, have somebody clean it out. Sure it won't be fun, but why cause such a big delay and waste so much money just to avoid having a turd sitting in the john for half the flight?
I would explain to the passengers that the only lav wasn't working, and that instead of taking a big delay with half the plane missing their connections, I would fly the flight on schedule, and that everybody should go before the flight. If anybody knows they wouldn't be able to hold it, the airline will put them on a later flight free of charge. And in case an "emergency" comes up mid-flight, well, there will be a turd or some piss in the toilet until we land, and everybody would just deal with it.
Passenger 57
New Member
I remember when I used to perform lav service during the winter as a ramp agent for a major airline and the blue juice (lav liquid) would sometimes be frozen when the plane arrived. Not entirely frozen, but just at the part where you hook up the hose to fill it with fresh blue juice. The only way to service the lav would be to empty it out and then to carry a bucket full of blue juice up the jetway steps or walk it up a belt loader through the rear provisioning door and pour the stuff carefully into the toilet. All of this while trying not to slip and fall on an icy ramp. Obviously, I would avoid doing this if I could. But when the ops agent calls repeatedly for lav service you kinda have to look like you're doing it. Not all airline jobs are by any means glamourous. Nothing like the smell of fresh blue juice in the morning.
crasher_2009
New Member
I flew a citation last weekend for a local company and the lavatory wasn't working, and it was only a 45 min flight so I let them make the choice....
CaptBill
Well-Known Member
I happen to believe that a working lav is a basic and expected necessity for paying passengers. Have ops call contract maintenance and get it fixed. No voting and no discussions. If a creative crew wants to try resetting a breaker or jiggling a handle - go for it. If that doesn't work, get it fixed right and then continue on your way. The pressure to go by others should have no bearing on a prudent and sound decision by the captain. There are no committees or democracies on my airplane.
staplegun
Well-Known Member
Uh, Doug, I know you've seen this before...
CAUTION: Flight crew reset of a tripped circuit breaker in flight is not
recommended unless specifically directed to do so in a
non-normal checklist. However, a tripped circuit breaker may
be reset once, after a short cooling period (approximately 3
minutes), if in the judgment of the Captain, the situation
resulting from the circuit breaker trip has a significant adverse
effect on safety. A ground reset of a tripped circuit breaker by
the flight crew should only be accomplished after maintenance
has determined it is safe to reset the circuit breaker. Flight
crew cycling (pulling and resetting) of circuit breakers to clear
non-normal conditions is not recommended unless directed by
a non-normal checklist. If it is determined that the circuit
breaker must be reset, turn off the affected component (if
possible), and wait 3 minutes to let the circuit breaker cool
properly prior to reset. Attempt only one reset.
WARNING: Do not reset a tripped fuel boost pump CB.
Kevin