U.S. federal regulations prohibit loitering near the restroom on an airplane, so on a larger plane, it becomes a guessing game whether you're next in line. Proposed is a queuing system. From your seat, push a button to be added to the queue. When it's your turn, you'll be notified by a discrete light.
Another implementation would show you a number on a small display, and a number would be displayed on a sign near the restroom.-- kevinthenerd, Aug 08 2015 Sir, if you continue with that attitude I regret that Federal Regulation 77.3.1 means that I will have to taze you for your own safety and that of your fellow passengers.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 08 2015 Number trading would definitely have a ceiling height, although turbulence in the market could cause volatility.-- wjt, Aug 08 2015 My theory is that airline regulations are designed to gradually introduce Americans to the restraints related to becoming a police state, so it's not so much of a shock.-- Voice, Aug 09 2015 My theory is that US citizenship is designed to gradually introduce Americans to the restraints related to air travel, so it's not so much of a shock.-- pocmloc, Aug 09 2015 Out of interest, how far is it possible for elected officials to dictate the day to day events of an American's life, before he/she says "Ah, no, actually."?
For example, if all travellers were required to be barefoot (to counter the risk of shoe bombs), would that be OK with y'all?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 09 2015 Will the "discrete light" also be discreet, to save people's embarrassment?-- hippo, Aug 10 2015 It would be confusing if the same light was used to notify each person in turn.-- pocmloc, Aug 10 2015 If you're waiting in line, by definition you're not loitering.-- the porpoise, Aug 10 2015 //I will have to taze you for your own safety.. //
I will have to REPEATEDLY taze you for your own safety...
A single tazing is not so much of a shock.-- AusCan531, Aug 10 2015 ok, but c'mon in the USA we cater to morons.
23C: You are next! There's no line, you can walk right up Mr. 23C!
But, with no line, Mr. 30C & Mrs. 12B decide: Hey, look, no line! Let's just go!
So, there'd need to be some level of non-moronic enforcement.
The airplane staff already have enough on their full plates keeping things civil. Adding this would be hard.
Maybe a key code to unlock the loo, such as: In the seat display, it shows, "Your turn is next: Enter #4234 to get in"...-- sophocles, Aug 10 2015 I thought guns were the standard answer to problems like that!-- pocmloc, Aug 11 2015 A discrete light could work, but a continuous light such as a 3-phase LED could provide a nice color change effect to discreetly show one's place in line as the light goes from red to green.-- sninctown, Aug 11 2015 random, halfbakery