Narrative:

On my flight from ccs yesterday I had something new happen to me. About 20 mins after leveloff I needed to go to the bathroom. I called back to the #1 flight attendant to ask her if she would mind coming up for a second so I could step back. She said: 'now, are you sure? You can't wait?' I answered no, I could not. She said, 'let me call you back.' a few mins later she knocked on the door and I let her in. She said as I stepped out: 'don't be long.' I said simply, 'I won't be.' for the first time since 9/11 I was surprised by this attitude. Every other flight attendant has been more than accommodating of our physiological needs. I should add that I'm acutely aware of their duties and try my very best to not disturb them at busy times. Sometimes, however, one's body simply doesn't cooperate. I was gone about 45 seconds and glanced back at business class which was 2/3 empty. About 30 mins prior to descent, I needed to go to the bathroom again. This time I decided to 'hold it' after what I viewed as an unprofessional and unpleasant exchange with flight attendant. Regrettably, after landing we had to hold for our gate in 10 min increments. After 50 mins I was in dire need to go, so I called back to ask if she would mind coming up. She said, 'really? I have to go and I'm holding. I have 2 doors to monitor up here and cannot come up.' I said, 'are you serious?' at that moment ramp called and we were cleared to the gate. I said to flight attendant, 'never mind.' after we parked I raced into the lavatory and as I exited she proceeded to 'educate' me in front of the passenger on how she was needed to monitor the doors and I ought to do like everyone else and wait. I tried to get a word in edgewise but it was no use. I have 2 items: the first is clearly that someone needs to have a little chat with this flight attendant and explain to her how the world works. If a pilot is distraction by having to go to the bathroom and not able to concentrate on his duties then it's just plain unsafe. The second is her contention that, on the ground, she could not in fact come up as she had to monitor the front doors. I would have thought that one of the other 3 flight attendants could have spotted her, but it brings up an interesting point. What are the requirements on the ground for a flight attendant to monitor a door and what is the legal answer for a situation like this which, up until now, I had not encountered?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 FO RPTED THAT AN OBSTINATE FLT ATTENDANT ARGUED WHEN ASKED TO PROTECT THE COCKPIT DURING LAVATORY BREAKS ON A FLT FROM CCS TO MIA.

Narrative: ON MY FLT FROM CCS YESTERDAY I HAD SOMETHING NEW HAPPEN TO ME. ABOUT 20 MINS AFTER LEVELOFF I NEEDED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM. I CALLED BACK TO THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT TO ASK HER IF SHE WOULD MIND COMING UP FOR A SECOND SO I COULD STEP BACK. SHE SAID: 'NOW, ARE YOU SURE? YOU CAN'T WAIT?' I ANSWERED NO, I COULD NOT. SHE SAID, 'LET ME CALL YOU BACK.' A FEW MINS LATER SHE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND I LET HER IN. SHE SAID AS I STEPPED OUT: 'DON'T BE LONG.' I SAID SIMPLY, 'I WON'T BE.' FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 9/11 I WAS SURPRISED BY THIS ATTITUDE. EVERY OTHER FLT ATTENDANT HAS BEEN MORE THAN ACCOMMODATING OF OUR PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS. I SHOULD ADD THAT I'M ACUTELY AWARE OF THEIR DUTIES AND TRY MY VERY BEST TO NOT DISTURB THEM AT BUSY TIMES. SOMETIMES, HOWEVER, ONE'S BODY SIMPLY DOESN'T COOPERATE. I WAS GONE ABOUT 45 SECONDS AND GLANCED BACK AT BUSINESS CLASS WHICH WAS 2/3 EMPTY. ABOUT 30 MINS PRIOR TO DSCNT, I NEEDED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AGAIN. THIS TIME I DECIDED TO 'HOLD IT' AFTER WHAT I VIEWED AS AN UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNPLEASANT EXCHANGE WITH FLT ATTENDANT. REGRETTABLY, AFTER LNDG WE HAD TO HOLD FOR OUR GATE IN 10 MIN INCREMENTS. AFTER 50 MINS I WAS IN DIRE NEED TO GO, SO I CALLED BACK TO ASK IF SHE WOULD MIND COMING UP. SHE SAID, 'REALLY? I HAVE TO GO AND I'M HOLDING. I HAVE 2 DOORS TO MONITOR UP HERE AND CANNOT COME UP.' I SAID, 'ARE YOU SERIOUS?' AT THAT MOMENT RAMP CALLED AND WE WERE CLRED TO THE GATE. I SAID TO FLT ATTENDANT, 'NEVER MIND.' AFTER WE PARKED I RACED INTO THE LAVATORY AND AS I EXITED SHE PROCEEDED TO 'EDUCATE' ME IN FRONT OF THE PAX ON HOW SHE WAS NEEDED TO MONITOR THE DOORS AND I OUGHT TO DO LIKE EVERYONE ELSE AND WAIT. I TRIED TO GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE BUT IT WAS NO USE. I HAVE 2 ITEMS: THE FIRST IS CLRLY THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO HAVE A LITTLE CHAT WITH THIS FLT ATTENDANT AND EXPLAIN TO HER HOW THE WORLD WORKS. IF A PLT IS DISTR BY HAVING TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AND NOT ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON HIS DUTIES THEN IT'S JUST PLAIN UNSAFE. THE SECOND IS HER CONTENTION THAT, ON THE GND, SHE COULD NOT IN FACT COME UP AS SHE HAD TO MONITOR THE FRONT DOORS. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT ONE OF THE OTHER 3 FLT ATTENDANTS COULD HAVE SPOTTED HER, BUT IT BRINGS UP AN INTERESTING POINT. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS ON THE GND FOR A FLT ATTENDANT TO MONITOR A DOOR AND WHAT IS THE LEGAL ANSWER FOR A SIT LIKE THIS WHICH, UP UNTIL NOW, I HAD NOT ENCOUNTERED?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.