Agony is the Mother of Invention

This might sound familiar to all those, like me, who have to travel monkey-class on planes. There is waiting and more waiting. Waiting to get in the plane, waiting to get out of the plane, waiting to get your measly half-cup of orange juice. The worst undoubtedly is waiting for access to the toilet.
For the ten rows of business class, 6*2=12 people there were two toilets. The other two, at the back of the plane was shared by 30*6=180. One can make a fair assumption that the micturation needs of both classes are same, unless they are serving something very different up there (I have never had the opportunity to find out). Given this skewed ratio, the lines are much longer in monkey class.
Can this process be made more effective? These are areas, according to me, where market economics are not applied enough. Now even airline peanuts are not free. If every extra convenience is charged - like extra baggage, or meals on planes - they should also introduce an option to pay $10 extra to have a FAST PASS to the bathroom which gives you the right to skip over every other person in line who does not hold a similar FAST PASS. The airlines will not only make money this way, but will also save some as the really risk-averse and cheap will not drink anything and take the chance on dehydration than suffer the agony of waiting in line.

Till that is implemented a work around is to go is right after they have served drinks, when the lines are short or non-existent. If you wait for about half an hour, then you might have to really exercise some more self-control and wait even longer.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Hirak,

This is Aniket. We met at SFN this year and I got here, well, through google search. Anyway, nice blog. I guess I am more frustrated with the leg room or lack thereof, in economy class, which of course has to do with my height. Anyway, it was nice meeting and talking science with you.

Aniket

hirak said...

This is the only time when you feel lucky not to be a basketball player.

Alpana Kulkarni said...

Hi there!
I was going through Indian bloggers list when came across this blog.
Nice blog! Actually - nice idea!! LOL! Why don't you advice it to the airline people - they will act immediately! I am sure!! :)