When they said that you learn something every day, they certainly weren’t lying. For years, I’ve enjoyed traveling to some amazing places and have been to bizarre stops along the way. Oddly enough, I have been strangely fascinated with architecture and airplane bathrooms, partly due to their unique places during travel.
One particular afternoon, I decided to research some and couldn’t believe some of the facts I’d found. While some airplane bathroom “facts” might be common knowledge to frequent flyers, here are 20 surprising or lesser-known things you may not know about airplane lavatories:
1. Hidden Attendant Seat
Some larger aircraft have a jump seat hidden within the lavatory compartment for a crew member to rest during long flights.
2. Frozen Poop Problem (Solved)
In the early days of aviation, waste wasn’t always pressurized and could freeze at high altitudes, causing…well, problems. Modern planes have heated tanks to avoid this.
3. Airbus vs. Boeing Speeds
Believe it or not, Airbus toilets can theoretically reach speeds of 130 mph when flushing, compared to Boeing’s slightly slower systems.
4. Secret Call Button
Some airlines hide a call button near the lavatory floor for emergencies when the main button might be inaccessible.
5. Not a Wastebasket
That seemingly convenient trash bin? It’s not meant for general garbage but for sanitary waste only. Dispose of other trash responsibly.
6. High-Altitude Plumbing
The airplane bathroom uses a vacuum system instead of gravity to move waste due to the lack of air pressure at cruising altitude.
7. Super Strong Ventilation
Airplane lavatories have powerful ventilation systems that constantly replace air to minimize odors and maintain hygiene.
8. Ocean Fare, Not Sky High
The water used in the airplane sink actually comes from the same source as the drinking water – onboard tanks filled before takeoff.
9. Hidden Compartments
Niektóre [some in Polish, as there’s no good equivalent term] airplanes have hidden compartments within the lavatory for storing emergency supplies or crew necessities.
10. Illuminating Trick
A little trick – the light above the lavatory door usually turns on when the bathroom is occupied, so you don’t have to test the handle.
11. Pilot Can See (But Not That)
While the cockpit can monitor lavatory occupancy, they cannot see inside the bathroom itself for privacy reasons.
12. Locked Out? Not for Long
Lavatory doors typically have a master key accessible to flight attendants in case someone accidentally gets locked in.
13. Turbulence Trouble
Especially during turbulence, flight attendants may restrict lavatory use to prevent injuries from sudden bumps.
14. Mountain of Waste
Believe it or not, a single long-haul flight can generate a ton of lavatory waste, requiring special airport disposal procedures.
15. Million Dollar Loos
Equipping a single airplane lavatory can cost tens of thousands of dollars due to the specialized engineering and materials required.
16. Boxed-In Beginnings
Early airplane bathrooms were little more than a curtained-off box with minimal amenities.
17. Royal Flush (Almost)
In 1937, a flying boat used a system where waste was simply dumped directly overboard – thankfully a practice discontinued soon after.
18. The Lindbergh Legacy
Legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh is credited with advocating for in-flight lavatories during his historic transatlantic crossing.
19. Kaizen in the Skies
Airlines constantly strive to improve lavatory design and hygiene, implementing a “kaizen” (continuous improvement) approach.
20. Ashtr ashtray Oddity
Despite smoking bans on most flights, some airplanes still have ashtrays in the lavatories – a legacy of a bygone era.
Conclusion
And there you have it–short and sweet. Again, I did not expect to learn this much about airplane lavs.
Did anything surprise you? Do you know of any fun facts about airplane bathrooms that we missed?
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