A passenger complains that travelers were turned away from the forward lavatory–even though it was empty–so that a pilot could engage in extended chit-chat with a flight attendant. If this is what happened, I hope Southwest Airlines will remind pilots that flirting with flight attendants is not a job duty and certainly not a valid reason to remain outside the flight deck for an extended period during the flight.
Claim: Southwest Airlines Pilot Flirts With Flight Attendant, Forcing Passengers To Use Rear Lavatory
On a recent flight from Dallas (DAL) to Los Angeles (LAX) a passenger alleges that a pilot spent a “good 10 minutes” chatting up a flight attendant. During that time, the forward lavatory was not available for passenger use, forcing a senior citizen seated toward the front to have to walk to the rear of the aircraft.
There’s even video:
@SouthwestAir fly attendant sent elderly woman in row 6 to the lavatory in the back so the pilot could continue to just yuck it up with her. No one in the lavatory. They talked for a good 10 mins. Awful flt 3756 pic.twitter.com/WDTksOCrea
— Jeffrey F (@jeffreyfields) December 1, 2024
View From The Wing wonders whether this conduct violates federal regulations regarding the conduct of pilots in flight. He points to Federal Aviation Regulation §121.543, which requires that pilots remain in the cockpit at all times except:
- “Necessary for performance of duties” to check something in the aircraft
- “In connection with physiological needs” using the lav
- Crew rest, when another pilot takes their place
Is flirting (or let’s just call it small talk) necessary for the performance of duties or a “physiological” need? Well, that would be a stretch.
Even if not illegal, it’s absolutely rude to keep passengers waiting to use the lavatory longer than necessary. No, I’m not calling for discipline or heads to roll based on a 14-second video. But assuming this chat did go on for 10 minutes and passengers were turned away from the lavatory during this time, it is an important reminder that pilots need to be mindful of the folks that pay their salaries…the folks they are supposed to be serving.
What do yo think about this incident?
image: @jeffreyfields / X
Hmm. Well he was checking something in the aircraft…
How you doin
I’m doin fine because I have a handy plastic hospital urinal with me wherever I go .
I’d be more worried if they were in the restroom together.
Again the problem is these people that are either drunk and have to piss multiple times a flight or have no self control for 15 minutes.
If you can’t wait 15 minutes you probably shouldn’t be flying.
There are no flights which are only 15 minutes in duration .
I was talking about the time the front restroom was unavailable for whatever reason that the complaint was crying about.
Please understand and have a laugh ; I am a student of satire and humor .
Give me a subject situation , and I will provide a bon mot .
Sometimes they have to wait for the cockpit door to open and go back in!
Click bait… Maybe it was a long 4+ hour flight and he wanted to stretch his legs. This is a silly post.
Assuming that given the flight had not yet departed, the rude behavior is by passengers who board and think it’s poo poo pee pee time – get in your seat, buckle up, and stop being rude to your fellow passengers. If it’s an inflight chat, more of the same, respect the front of the aircraft, and either hold it, or go to the rear.
Well “new” food given on aircraft considering it isn’t always settling to one’s stomach it is very important to let a passenger not have to explain and embarrass themselves on the need to get to a bathroom quickly. It is just called common courtesy. This seems to be gone in some people thinking these days. No one thinks of others in their actions of what they are presently doing.
In the meantime, pilots aren’t permitted to be on the flight deck alone, what was happening up there with the other FA and the other pilot?
Luv is in the Air!!
We have only me person saying something and 14 seconds of video which do not remotely substantiate that he stood there for 10 mins. That Twitter post says they sent an elderly women to the back to use the restrooms there.
But look at what Gary says
“ This came right after the meal service, and passengers up front were visibly squirming in their seats, while a service cart in the aisle in coach meant it wasn’t possible for passengers to go to the lavatories in back either.”
First Southwest doesn’t do a meal service. Second the original account says nothing about the aisle being blocked or other customers visibly squirming in their seats. Did Gary just make that up?
Finally we have no idea what he was talking to the FAs about. It could have easily been directly related to the flight. Also I very much doubt the person who posted about it on Twitter looked at his watch to note the time when the pilot came out. Which means he’s likely guessing at how long it was and it could easily have been a lot less than the 10 minutes claimed.
We need more than one person who recorded 14 seconds of video before this becomes remotely credible.
Gary was referring to a different incident there on an American Airlines flight he took.
I realize this particular story may not be true – and admitted as much. I did want to discuss this sort of thing generally – is it ever appropriate? I guess I don’t have a problem with it personally as long as folks are not being turned away from an empty lavatory.