002 Funny Flight

ideas2improve: Niki is the Austrian airline founded by 3 times F1 world championship and never too admired pilot and fighter Niki Lauda. Niki offers interesting flights between Austria and Mediterranean destinations such as beautiful and outstanding Malaga in Southern Spain.

In my last flight Wien-Malaga (30SEP at 6:40, HG2714) I lived  a curious situation that may make us think several #ideas2improve.

First, the situation: there are two toilets at the front of the plane (Airbus A321): one before and one after the curtain that preserves discretion for the stewardess when preparing meals (yes, Niki is one of few "green dogs" that still offer free onboard services such as sandwiches, drinks or newspapers). When the first toilet is busy but the second is free, the only light to show availabily is green.

Well, two guys went to the toilet, stopping in the first toilet (the curtain was closed). So they thought "it is the only toilet, the light is green, so even the door is closed showing a red Occupied label, it is free"

So, they used their creative mind to open the door. You know how toilet doors open and close in airplanes: just pushing slightly. Well, that is only true when it is not closed from inside. But they skipped that tiny point. So they pushed, pulled and looked for hidden mechanisms at the top or bottom (as Indiana Jones in his adventures), until they found a couple of small levers at the very top that they moved down and up until they took the door out of its rail. They were nearly removing the entire door (which would have put the person inside in an embarrasing situation) when fortunately the stewardess arrived, showing the second (empty) toilet to the guys to use it and staring at the newly discovered state-of-the-art "solution" with a face between surprise and laugh. She reacted profesionally, did not complain or scold them but called for help. The copilot came, looked at the door and could not believe what he was seeing. His deep studies included mechanics, geography, navigation, physics, and even cabotage, but not door fixing. However he did not stop because of the challenge, tested, investigated, tried and finally fixed it! Some passengers clapped and even shouted "Bravo"!

Now, the lessons learned that could be #ideas2improve:

-For everyone, think that things tend to be simpler than what a complicated mind could imagine because of a wrong signal (metric or kpi in your project): if the door says "Occupied" and with a couple of tries it does not open, probably it IS occupied. So, review your assumptions: either the metric is wrong or it meant something else that you skipped (the second -free- toilet).

-For everyone, when there is an issue, the best is: nice face, good spirit, better thinking only-looking-for-solutions and use your best combination of positive attitude, experience and innovation to solve it.

-For everyone, congratulate more than punish.

-For the company, value the work and professional attitude of the copilot and cabin crew, and maybe ask the plane manufacturer to put one light for each toilet, although I am afraid that will not avoid an improved version of the two guys ideating better adventures. So keep things as simple as possible.