Ever wondered what you can do if you need to use the toilet when the seatbelt sign is on? American Airlines pilot Steve recently explained what happens if you ignore the advice…
Travelling is an exciting prospect, whether it’s a short or long-haul flight.
There’s the gruelling dash through security before finding your gate, then finally taking a seat on the aircraft to relax. But with safety on board comes a lot of restrictions, like tightening your seatbelt and not smoking during the trip.
Now for those with weak bladders, waiting for the seatbelt sign to switch off can often feel like an eternity. But one American Airlines pilot recently revealed what happens if nature calls while the safety sign has been switched on.
In a post on TikTok, where he boasts 239,000 followers, Captain Steve shared whether you can still pop to the bathroom even when the sign is on. He started with: “What if the fasten seatbelt sign is on, can you get up and go to the bathroom?
“Well Mrs Captain Steve is an absolute rule keeper, if that sign is on, she will not get up, no matter how bad she has to go the bathroom. And I’m here to tell you, yeah I want you to be a rule keeper.”
The pilot then went onto explain what you can do if you’re “bursting”. He added: “But if we’re up at altitude, cruising along and it’s not too bumpy then you really need to go, yes you can get up and use that bathroom.
“Now if the flight attendants tell you to take a seat, you’ve got to follow what they say. You’ve got to take a seat because you might be preparing for landing, after take-off, or might be at some critical phase of the flight, so if they tell you to sit down, sit down.”
But it is also likely the pilot might have also forgotten to switch it off. He added: “It’s okay to get up, the flight attendants are probably going to say this to you ‘do you know the seatbelt sign is on,’ they’re obligated to remind you about that.
“Once they get that out of the way, you’re free to go up and do your business. Come back to your seat, do me a favour, always put that seatbelt on when you’re in your seat whether the seatbelt sign is on or off. Now you know.”
Since the post was shared, it racked up 15,700 likes and over 350 comments. One said: “I always leave my seatbelt on.” While another added: “Great advice captain Steve.” Then a third commented: “I love your content.”