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Flight attendant blocks man from using bathroom - has him arrested
We've probably all heard the stern warning at the start of our flight telling us to use the bathroom in our own cabin. The separation of the classes means only business class passengers are allowed to use the business class bathroom, and coach passengers need to use the smelly porta-potty in the rear of the plane.
But what do you do when you really have to go? Like after a meal you had in Honduras that isn't sitting too well with you?
This is the dilemma faced by Joao Correa on his Delta Airlines flight back home last week.
The coach bathroom was blocked by a drinks cart, and when he politely asked a flight attendant if he could use the front bathroom, he was told "no".
He tried to hold "it" in, but when things got too much, he sprinted up front and attempted to enter the bathroom. It was at this point when the flight attendant/bathroom cop stuck her arm in front of him and blocked the door.
The rest of the story has become part of a federal investigation, Mr Correa claims the flight attendant put her hand on his shoulder, and that he grabbed her arm to keep his balance, her side of the story claims he pushed her arm down and twisted it.
The flight attendant then called the pilot, who probably rolled his eyes and told her to let Mr. Correo just use the bathroom. He then returned to his seat and was quiet for the rest of the flight.
Upon landing at Atlanta airport, he was arrested and locked up for 2 nights before appearing before a judge.
Mr. Correa says he is "devastated' by the whole incident, and I can't blame him, it's one thing to keep your plane secure and prevent people from walking into the wrong cabin, but when the other bathrooms are clearly blocked, and one of your passengers really has to go, you just let him go.
To actually put your arm in front of the bathroom door and block a passenger is pathetic, and I hope Delta Airlines realizes this. That said, if Mr. Correa really did injure the flight attendant, he should face the charges, but I'd say that 2 nights in jail is about the extent of what he should be punished with.
What do you think?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 11)
Zach Apr 8th 2009 2:15PM
I haven't encountered a flight attendant that bad, but I've found more of them to be condescending and rude rather than helpful.
Sharon Apr 9th 2009 1:06AM
AMEN
DJ Apr 9th 2009 1:09AM
Another case of an over zealous flight attendant whose "job title" has gone to her head...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I have the power and I'm gonna use it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John Beuscher Apr 9th 2009 7:14AM
I've never flown aboard an airplane that had bathrooms. Are they new additions?
It would seem more practical to merely continue just outfitting toilets as has been done in the past. I don't think it practical to bathe in a 'plane!
Toulouse2k Apr 9th 2009 7:57AM
The times I've flown Hell-ta Airlines, I have, for the most part, encountered rather disgruntled Flight Attendants...even in First Class. I think the company should spend a few bucks and train their people to behave in a polite professional (doing your job well even if you don't want to be there; have personal issues, etc. After all, you are being paid to do your job, you are not there because you love it and would do it for gratis...which would be the definition of amateur) manner. The "us against them" policy is poor business practice, especially in a very competitive market. It is up to companies to keep their point-of-contact people sharp....instead they spend money showing pretty planes flying through heavenly skies, but they never show what is going on inside those planes.
Sister Teddy Apr 9th 2009 12:53PM
We do the same thing to homeless people every day. They have no easy access to toilet facilities once the shelters close at 8 a.m. until they reopen at 7 p.m. They try to find a sheltered place to do their business, because urinating or defecating in public will get them arrested, and they do have some self-respect, don't want to be a spectacle. Then righteous citizens, who insist that "public" restrooms be locked, scream about the bushes being used as toilets and have all the greenery in parks and around public buildings cut down. Some businesses are compassionate and allow street people to use their restrooms, others want you to make a purchase, even if you are not a street person, before entrusting you with the key. As I get older, this gets to be more a personal issue with me. I don't have the control I had when young. The most recent idiocy was when our light rail system, BART, decided that toilets were a security risk because someone might put a bomb in them, and locked all the toilets. After much protest, they finally unlocked the toilets in the elevated stations, so if you have the price of a ticket ($1.60) and patience to travel a few miles you can use a BART toilet. Men can stand at the end of the platform as if looking for oncoming trains and do their thing, but women? We have to make a puddle directly beneath us and then walk away from it.
Malaycobra Apr 8th 2009 2:25PM
As someone who has a stomach condition, I can definitely sympathise with the "gotta go right now" feeling. If the coach class toilet was impossible to use, then I know I would head to the front.
If he hurt the attendant then he should at least have to apologize and buy her a giant bunch of flowers. In this case I agree that time served is probably enough punishment.
Back in England we referred to an employee with this mindset a "Jobsworth" i.e. "No I can't let you, its more than my job's worth" We treated them with the contempt they deserve.
She should consider herself lucky. Imagine the cleanup in business class if he hadn't made it in time...
Greg Apr 8th 2009 2:30PM
As a flight attendant, I think exceptions can be made to any rule, if they don't impede safety issues. Letting him use the front bathroom in an emergency was a good exception.
As a passenger, I would have dropped trow there and given her something to clean up. And then I wouldn't have used her precious bathroom.
katie Apr 8th 2009 10:00PM
Me too :)
bjb Apr 9th 2009 2:28PM
You are a rude and crude person. Its people like you that can't follow the rules. You belong in the back!
Brandi Apr 9th 2009 10:46AM
Ok for one you are gross, and would cause many people to become ill.
For two that is childish.
Three - You'd be arrested as well. DUH.
As a flight attendant I am always more then willing to move a cart if it's in the way. UNLESS I'm in the isle then you gotta give me some time, lord have you tried to move a 200 pound cart alone before while someone is breathing down your back and their front parts are on your back parts?
Margie Apr 9th 2009 1:38PM
Greg,You're good!
Chris Apr 8th 2009 3:24PM
AA doesn't have a cabin of service bathroom restriction. Solution to the problem? Stop flying DL.
Seriously, though, back when they did have a cabin of service restriction, I couldn't tell a difference between the fore and aft lavs in terms of cleanliness, smells, etc. Guess what? Everybody's poop stinks. All guys pee on the rim of the toilet and dribble on the floor. It doesn't matter whether the people in the seats paid $2000 or $200 for their ticket.
As a frequent business class passenger, I don't care if someone pops up from coach to use the front lav on a narrowbody aircraft every now and then. Two lavs for over a hundred passengers in the back is a bit restrictive and sometimes the lines get long. The 12 or 16 people up front can share. About the only time I would care about sharing a lav is if I had paid thousands for an international first class seat, because random people tromping through the aisles would disturb the expensively purchased peace and quiet and there are plenty of toilets in coach and business on widebodies.
bigoak1997 Apr 8th 2009 5:06PM
Number one the whacko twisted the flight attendant's arm and that is no way to ask for special consideration unless your use to beating your wife to get your way. Is this guy a big boy or what? Can he not wait for the coach bathroom to be available??? So many people want what they do not pay for and yes, this guys should of had to wait to use the coach bathroom where he paid to be. Why would first class passengers have to be inconvenienced when they have paid thousands to get to the same place when this passenger paid a far less price. That is the deal. That is what the first class passenger is paying for. Have you ever seen the mess some clowns leave in a airplane bathroom? It is ridiculous and frankly, if I had paid for a first class ticket I would not want a anger management clown like this even able to get into the first class section. He might want to practice big boy rules and not wait until the last second. A very lame excuse that everyone would be using to get into the fisrt class restrooms. He was arrested because he twisted the flight attendant's arm and threatened her. Such out of control action is against the law and threatens everyone on the plance. Hurray for the flight attendant for doing her job. For this clown, I hope it costs you dearly so you learn something about not using such tactics to get your way. VERY likely something your wife and kids would also hope you learn.
Tri Apr 8th 2009 5:45PM
Hmm, I guess you're what they called a "jobsworth" (or worthless).
bigoak1997 Apr 8th 2009 7:24PM
Tri says waaaahhh Mommy, I want to use the other bathroom not that one~! Waahhhh..... I'll bite you if I can't use the bathroom I want to use right now Mommy!
LC Apr 8th 2009 8:34PM
OK.... Clearly the guy HAD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM and could not get to the one he paid to use. Are you insane? Have you ever had a bad case of "bubble gut"? There is no waiting for a vacancy! That flight attendant should be glad all she got was shoved aside. I'm sure cleaning poop (and puke!) off the floor and several passengers whould have been far worse.
maxcee Apr 8th 2009 10:26PM
I don't care what someone paid or didn't pay for an airline ticket! A bathroom is a bathroom...plain and simple! I have been on a plane and as soon as I was about to get up....so was half the plane!!!! You can only hold it for so long!!!!!
k Apr 8th 2009 10:27PM
I do not believe people like you. I hope you never get food poisoning, or the flu in at a really un-handy time. NOT! You deserve that...You must feel it to have the empathy. You are incredible failure at being a human being...just a low life's opinion. Who by the way fly coach no matter how much money I am blessed with. It is just over consumptious and ridiculous to think you are THAT important. Unless it is an overseas flight where you are on the aircraft for like 12 hours, it really shouldn't matter. You are a snob.
Ellen Apr 9th 2009 2:59AM
So, let me get this straight. It's OKAY for Ralph Fiennes and a flight attendant to have sex in a first class lavatory, holding up other paying customers who may need to use it for what it was intended, but not for an ill passenger to use in an emergency?