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Woman sits in urine soaked airplane seat
As volumes increase over the holiday season, the crazy airline stories start rolling in. Just yesterday, a woman flying from West Palm Beach to Boston reported that she took her seat in and AirTran flight, only to find that it was soaked in urine. By the time she realized the gravity of her problem, it had soaked all the way through her clothes. So she had to go to the bathroom, remove her wet clothing and wrap herself in a blanket for the duration of the flight. At least they let her sit in a different seat.What I'm most surprised about is that neither the airline nor any of the other customers offered to help out. Perhaps the author of the article left out those details, but if someone was sitting next to me who just got his or her clothing soaked in urine I would definitely offer up a shirt from my carry on for the person to wear.
Instead, the woman was forced to walk through the entire terminal and down to baggage claim with the blanket wrapped around her. How embarrassing.
AirTran agreed to refund the ticket and any clothing damage costs. They're "investigating the matter" internally.
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Filed under: Airlines, Transportation, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
DAVID Dec 21st 2007 2:16PM
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM AN AIRLINER FROM AMERICA?
charlene Dec 21st 2007 2:25PM
Who knows if the urine was there before she took her seat. Seems to me that the odor would have been noticed by someone before she even took the seat. That's a pretty recognizable odor. Who can prove that she just didn't have an unfortunate accident causing the problem. It's something that's discussed frequently in doctors offices daily as well as magazines, commercials, medical programs on TV, etc. If it were from someone else, wouldn't they have had to exit the plane with some pretty distinguishable marks on their clothing which would certainly have drawn attention upon exiting the plane?
LumbeeNative1960 Dec 21st 2007 2:29PM
1) SUE AIRLINE
2) Make formal complaint to everyone who will listen
3) Make sure everyone knows who the employees are that watched this and offered no help. They should be reprimanded at least if not FIRED! After all, what are they there for? Maybe to help passengers during their flight!?
4) Find an Airline that actually cares about passengers.
5) Refuse "free ticket" Demand money for THAT flight be refunded.
Last but not least, I am sorry she went through that, I can not imagine the embarrassment of such an ordeal. And to make it worse, nobody felt the need to help this lady. Shame on everyone involved and everyone that refused to get involved. Maybe one day the ones that did not help will get to suffer a similar embarrassment with everyone turning their head instead of helping. Something so simple to help with and nobody volunteered. What a sad little world we live in.
Lonesome drifter Dec 21st 2007 2:32PM
This is really stupid and inconsiderate of the person who soiled the seat. If a child or even adult urinates in a seat, all that need to be done is to inform a flight attendant and they will have the seat cushion changed at the next stopover.
nurse Dec 21st 2007 2:32PM
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM AIRTRAN AIRLINES, THIS AIRLINE IS THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL, AND THE FLIGHT ATTENDENTS ARE NASTY!
I'M NOT SURPRISED WHEN I READ WHAT AIRLINE IT WAS!
John Dec 21st 2007 2:34PM
Talk about being Pissed Off!!!
Debbie Dec 21st 2007 2:43PM
I totally understand how that could happen, on a shuttle flight I had 3 of my grandchildren aging from 3 years to 9 months before we took off my 3 year old informed me she had to use the restroom I informed the flight attendent and she said once we were in the air she could go well...THE SEAT BELT LIGHT NEVER CAME OFF and the restrooms were never activated with electric well 20 minutes into flight my grand daughter now almost in tears said I GOTTA GO the flight attendent took off in the other direction so I informed my grand daughter in a loud voice to JUST PISS IN THE SEAT no one knew but me she had been put in a pull up but even if she wasn't she sure as molassa's would of PISSED IN THAT SEAT!!!!!!!!!!
JG Dec 21st 2007 3:49PM
I have to admit Air Tran is bush league. I have never been around ruder flight attendents ever. Not all, some are just fine, but there is always 1 super bit** on the flight. I have to say I just hate Air Tran eventhough they are well priced.
maria milano Dec 21st 2007 2:47PM
It has become the trend since 911. Airlines and their employees feel as if they can treat passengers horribly and the passengers just have to deal with it. If passengers complain, they are labled a threat to national security and arrested. This poor woman is just a result of an uncaring airline and there is little passengers can do because Homeland Security has given the airlines all the power. You know, I will never defend the 911 highjackers for what they did, but if the airline employees on the doomed flights had actually done something to defend their passengers, their airliners, and themselves, I bet the tragedy would have been avoided. Instead the worthless airline crews just did what they were told and let a handful or terrorists commit one of the most horrendous acts in our hisory. Shame on them, flight attendants are truly worthless. They don't help people, they act as if you are annoying them when you ask for assistance and any passenger who may be upset about flying will very likely be tasered and arrested. Too bad for all of us flying public, as there seems to be no recourse for us but to just sit there and take it, and apparently now we will be peed on in the process.
James Dec 21st 2007 3:01PM
You can't blame the Airlines - I am sure they were Mortified - Urine & any other Liquid doesn't show up on the surface of the cushions - even touching the fabric doesnt help - NOPE - the liquid goes straight thru into the Foam - when it takes the pressure of a body to Smoosh it out - while unfortunately this womans trip was ruined - Always remember to keep an entire change of AT LEAST Sweats in your carry-on - which came it Handy when the Brat Behind me who was out of his seat and peering over MY SEAT and Projectile PUKED his little guts out - Bleegh!!!
Tammy Dec 21st 2007 3:04PM
I vote for one of two possible scenario's. Either the previous seat occupants child pee'd in the seat, the parent changed the diaper or had a change of clothes handy....or this woman pee'd in this seat herself.
How likely is it that an adult pee'd in the seat, sat there in it through the flight, and then left the plane soaking wet unnoticed? It's just as unlikely that the previous occupant pee'd in the seat, walked through the isle to the bathroom soaking wet, changed clothes, and went unnoticed.
No one offered assistance? I don't believe that. ALL people are not that cruel and thoughtless. Everyone on the plane sat there and witnessed this woman half dressed and wrapped in a blanket while they did nothing? BS. This story reaks of something, but it's NOT the stench of urine.
Sounds to me as though someone got precisely what they wanted...a free airline ticket AND free clothes.
ROBERT Dec 21st 2007 3:11PM
I do not know to much about air-Tran other then they offer cheap tickets, you get what you pay for. As for flight attendents I have found most all to be very good people doing a job that is almost impossible at times. Your life is in the hands of the flight crew, it is not their job to try and pamper passengers who are demanding idiots. Next time fly American or United or Delta, pay the extra, if you cannot afford it then drive or stay home.
barbara Dec 21st 2007 3:26PM
i completely agree that this was uncalled for--why did the folks that are SUPPOSED to be cleaning the air plane while at a stop did not notice??
it seems to me that things like this can happen---small childred have accidents and cant hold it--parents perhaps dont realize-
the lesson that i learned from this is to always carry a complete outfit to change into in my carry on---that was not only uncalled for but a complete health hazzard for anyone sitting nearby as well---who knows what illness this person has
angela Dec 21st 2007 3:20PM
Im sure it was not done by the passenger on purpose. She was just the one who happen to have the misfortune of being the one who had that seat. Kids pee thier pants...even those who are pottied trained and know better. I can imagine a kid that cant wait no longer after the plane is making a landing and a parent telling them to hold it untill they are off. I doubt that parent would notice until they are off the plane because they are to much in a hurry to get to a connecting flight or something... and then be too embarassed to go back and say anything once they see the kids pee pants. The odds of her story being fake is pretty low to me.
missycjc Dec 21st 2007 3:31PM
that would be humilating.. Can a seat be "that wet" to totally soak sombody elses' clothes?? Maybe so.. I would think the airline would check the plane out before others board on.......If she did do it herself, well, that can happen to some people with a medical condition or something; she just had a bad day...had to blame it on somebody if that was the case i guess because it was so embarrassing.
elfmajic Dec 21st 2007 3:31PM
boo-hoo
David Dec 21st 2007 3:31PM
I AM NOT A SUE HAPPY PERSON BUT IN THIS CASE SUE THE HELL OUT OF THE AIRLINE!
I Hate Flying Dec 21st 2007 3:44PM
The last time I flew - and it was ATA - it was horrible too, but at least it was a dry flight.
It was a redeye from Vegas to Chicago and must have been the oldest plane in the fleet. We were cramped for space, the crew was from Vegas and were freezing (it was early October) so they had the heat cranked up (must have been at least 82 in the plane), and the 3 women in the row ahead of us must have had beans and saurkraut for dinner, not to mention their seats reclined all the way back & were sound asleep (we couldn't wake them). The crew was ignorant to us.
AZFly Dec 21st 2007 3:44PM
Not uncommon for people to pee on the seats! I have seen people change babies on the tray tables, too! Enjoy the food on your next flight!
SingleGal Dec 21st 2007 3:49PM
Maria (comment #8)--The flight attendants on the 9-11 flights did the best they could in that situation. Remember, most of them were tied up or stabbed and the hijackers said they had bombs strapped to them. There is certain protocol to follow for hijackings and this had never been seen before. One of the flight attendants was tied up and her hands were cut off at the wrists. When the hijackers moved with their plan, they moved so fast that there wasn't much time to react. Flight 93 had more time and knew what had been happening, so one of the flight attendants made pots of boiling water to throw on the hijackers when the passengers busted down the cockpit door. As for what happened in the story above, I'd be embarrassed and would rather walk around with my jacket tied around my waist and change clothes as soon as I got a fresh pair of pants. When I fly I don't bring extra clothes in my carry-on bag, so I wouldn't have been able to offer her a clean pair of undies! Whoever wet the seat (or the parents of the seat-wetter) should feel bad for this.