A mother from Kansas claims she was left absolutely humiliated on a United Airlines flight after being forced to urinate into a cup.
According to CBS News, Nicole Harper, a mother of two with an overactive bladder, claims she was flying home from Houston with her family when she realized she had to use the bathroom about 30 minutes after takeoff.
«It’s a little embarrassing to come forward,» she told KCTV.
Because the plane was already descending, and passengers were ordered to sit in their seats with their seatbelts on, Harper knew she would have to act fast if she wanted to use the restroom.
Harper explained that she thought she would «just get up and go to the bathroom really quick and go back to my seat.»
That’s when a flight attendant told Harper to stay in her seat.
«They started doing drink service, and other people getting up at this point,» she said, adding that she saw at least one first-class passenger in line.
Harper said she was waiting for her turn when a flight attendant told her that the pilot was expecting turbulence and she needed to sit back down in her seat.
Although she told the flight attendant that her need to use the bathroom was urgent, Harper was still asked to sit down.
«She told me very rudely it was not allowed to get out of my seat,» she recalled.
Immediately, Harper realized that she was going to wet herself if she didn’t empty her bladder as soon as physically possible.
«Well, I’m going to need a cup then,» she said.
Harper was wearing a dress so she was able to squat over a cup with the help of her husband. She reportedly filled two cups.
«I was thinking I was on ‘Candid Camera’ or being punked at this point,» she said.
When the flight attendant returned, she allegedly ordered Harper to empty her cups in the bathroom.
«She was basically reprimanding me and talking down to me through the aisle with other people listening,» she said.
Harper claims the flight attendant told her that the pilot would be having a chat with her once they landed, since the seats on the plane would need to be cleaned by a biohazard team.
She was also told that she would be reported.
«There was just no customer service, no compassion,» Harper said.
United, however, insists that, «At no point during the flight did flight attendants suggest that Ms. Harper use cups instead of the lavatory. We have reached out to Ms. Harper to better understand what occurred.»
