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(c) Elliott Publishing.

Hazardous Doody
Err Travel · February 1, 2002

In 1999, Anil Charnalia got up to use the lavatory on a KLM flight to New Delhi. He never returned.

Four hours after the 49 year-old accountant left for the lav, he was discovered dead when the cabin crew broke down the door to the toilet. Mr. Charnalia had suffered a heart attack.

Enter Bert Raphael, a lawyer (naturally) representing Mr. Charnalia's family. Mr. Raphael is now claiming that the airline personnel may have been able to save Mr. Charnalia had they been more attentive to his extended absence. He's asking KLM for several hundred thousand bucks to go away.

Other than providing a certain level of sanitation and security, should airlines and their crews be responsible for monitoring passengers while they are alone in the lavatory? Is this part of their duties? Is it part of anybody's duty?

Now I don't know about you, but there have been a few times when I've had to spend more than a brief period in an airplane lavatory. During my encampments, I was pleased that the crew went about their business, not disturbing me as I went about mine. I hope it remains that way.

Moving from KLM to SAS. A few weeks ago Reuters reported an unusual incident aboard one of the Scandinavian carrier's transatlantic fleet. What was reported as fact, now appears to be only a scenario that was used as part of a staff training exercise.

The scenario goes something like this: An American passenger is flying from Oslo to New York on a 767. As she takes her turn in the lav, the woman makes an error in procedure. Instead of enter-lock-sit-go-wipe-stand-flush- wash-open-exit she enters-locks-sits-goes-wipes-flushes-.... Oops, she forgot to stand before flushing.

She got a little ahead in the procedure which caused her to get behind-really behind!-in the lav. It seems that the vacuum resulting from the flush has sealed her to the toilet seat tighter than a Tupperware lid on a bowl of leftover lasagna. Indeed, the poor woman is stuck and will remain there for the duration of the flight.

The scenario concludes when the plane lands, and you (the staff) are summoned to help the poor woman regain her freedom. What do you do? [Fortunately, details were not available from SAS on the extrication procedure. I'm sure they aren't pretty.]

In either case-whether a passenger did get stuck or could have been stuck-it makes for another "lesson learned from the misadventures of others." (And another reason to rethink about a career with the airlines.)

Dr. Terry Riley is a psychologist and travel security authority. He is author of the popular book Travel Can Be Murder. Visit his site at http://www.appliedpsychology.com or e-mail him at terry@ticked.com.