any helpful hints?

[hazegirl]

I have two vacations coming up soon...both require me to fly, which I love to do...but I hate having to go to the bathroom on a plane...especially if you don't have an isle seat. ANyways, I"m traveling with a group of 20 next week...and I don't want to be the one asking to stop every hour or two just so I can pee. Any suggestions-Kelby

[poetgirl]

I fly fairly often, and deal with this issue a lot. If you're traveling with friends and one of them has an aisle seat, just ask if they will switch their seat with you. You can also go the desk at the boarding gate to see if the airline will switch your window or middle seat for an aisle seat. Just explain that you have a medical condition that requires frequent restroom access, and they should be able to accomodate you. I ocassionally experience panic attacks if I'm sitting towards the rear of the plane (I prefer the wing if I can't get business class) and I have no compunctions about telling them that, if it was a situation where I could not pre-select my seat upon purchase.

The trickiest thing to navigate is getting around the flight attendants once they start bringing the beverage/food carts through the aisles during the flight. Some flight attendants will move it aside enough for you to squeeze by; others may tell you to wait until they are done serving. You may also not be allowed out of your seat while the flight is taking off or making its final descent. Therefore, once you board the plane, try to use the lavatory right away so you won't be uncomfortable during takeoff. About 5or so minutes after the seatbelt sign goes off (when the plane is high enough) the flight attendants will be coming around with the carts, so there's another window of opportunity to go without having to deal with that obstacle. Same thing with the final approach. Longer flights (like transoceanic flights) are a lot easier to negotiate. The hard part is sitting for that long -- even in business class, it's hard to get comfortable after about 6 hours!

You're not always going to know what type of plane you're flying in when you make your reservations, but if you're a frequent flyer, you learn to map out the most accessible seats! Most of the smaller planes (like a Boeing 717) have lavatories in the rear of the plane, so you may want a seat further back. The larger planes usually have a lavatory in the middle. If you're not sure, consult with someone at the boarding gate to make sure you've got sufficient access.

Good luck - this may seem long-winded and a real pain in the neck to negotiate, but I endured more than my share of joyless flights until I figured out the system. Have a great trip!

[Teri]

I learned something interesting while flying this winter. When you check in at the counter and are given your seat you can go to the counter where your flight will be leaving and talk to the person and that desk and explain your situation. If there are seats available she/he will usually do what they can to help.

If you have an e-ticket and flying Northwest, you can go on line within 24 hours of your flight and bring up the airline and your reservation and it will show you a plane and what seats are taken. If there is one you would be more comfy in, you can reassign your own seat.