Restroom Incident Onboard a Plane

By SheSpeaksTeam Jul 06, 2014

If you’ve ever experienced an uncomfortable wait to use the restroom while traveling on an airplane you can relate to a 3-year-old’s recent experience flying JetBlue. While waiting on the tarmac the young child was told she could not use the bathroom because they were on an active runway causing her to have an accident in her seat. The airline has since apologized for the incident, but many still question the efficacy of in-flight bathroom restrictions.

Time reports about Jennifer Deveraux and her young daughter’s recent debacle onboard a JetBlue flight. After the 3-year-old was told she could not use the bathroom she had an accident in her seat. Deveraux then got up to clean up after her daughter but was told to sit down or face being reported to the pilot. Deveraux explains her response to the flight attendants at this point. She says, “Please give me a break. My daughter had an accident because you wouldn’t let me take her to the bathroom. After I clean it up I will sit down.” But the flight attendants still reported the mother to the pilot and the pilot then threatened to turn Devereux over to security at the gate for being a “noncompliant passenger”.

JetBlue spokesman Sebastian White has since offered the family an apology saying, “This incident in question happened while the aircraft was on an active taxiway, when FAA regulations require all customers to remain seated due to the risk of sudden aircraft movement. The crew made a safety and FAA regulation-based decision.” But Deveraux explains that the incident was more about human decency than complying with regulations. She says, “It wasn’t about bad customer service at that point. It was about bad human decency. My daughter was sitting in a pool of urine and I couldn’t do anything about it.”

What do you think of this family’s experience?

Do you think airlines should wave restroom regulations in some instances?

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Comments

by ammsan | SMYRNA, GA

Jul 15, 2014

I know its easy to point fingers. But if they have let the child use the bathroom, and any sudden erratic movement of the airplane had caused any injury to the child, we would still be pointing fingers to the airlines. Its a safety issue they were trying to behold. After all its just a 3 yrs old. If she did it on her seat, its okay. We must not project it so much and make her feel embarrassed,

by Shawnalaa | Worcester, MA

Jul 06, 2014

This is awful, and it is exactly how the mother of the child put it- It is about human decency, and they had none. It's almost as if these people think that they have power now and they can control anyone who walks onto a plane- but this child and her mother are not the enemy!

by sunninjimmy | MIDDLEBURG, FL

Jul 06, 2014

I think when traveling w/ children that if a company agrees to accept a child , then they should be made to bend the rules to allow a child to go to the restroom. If not and the child has an "accident" the mother should be allowed to clean up her child. Either way I also see the safety issue. I think any parent traveling w/ a child should sign a waiver that states if they / their child need to get up during takeoff or landing that they will NOT hold the airline responsible for any damages. Just my thoughts on this matter.