How big is an airline bathroom?

In 2018, the Washington Post reported that some of the bathrooms on new narrowbody aircraft had shrunk to just 24 inches wide – 10 inches smaller than older bathrooms and one inch smaller than J-Lo’s waist. For anyone over about five foot six, this is a problem.



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On some of the newer planes flown by American, Delta, and United, the bathrooms in coach are just 24 inches wide. That's roughly the width of a home dishwasher or what Kim Kardashian says her waist (but not those hips) now measures.

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Meanwhile, the airline that flies more people more miles than any other in the world is, for the most part, ignoring the complaints of its own flight attendants — and those of airline bloggers and consumer advocates — that at just 24 inches wide the tiny restrooms installed on its brand new Boeing 737-MAX airplanes are ...

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Aircraft lavatories have been getting smaller and smaller, as airlines try to squeeze in more seats. They can get a half an inch per row with less padding in the seats. They've been removing closets and making the galleys where flight attendants work smaller.

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Using The First Class Bathroom Another option is to speak to flight attendants and ask if you're allowed to use the first class bathrooms, as these are generally a little bigger. Some airlines allow anyone from economy to use the first class bathroom if they want to but we recommend asking just in case.

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You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint. These are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item.

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Yes, airline pilots can go to the toilet during a flight. In fact, they have their own private lavatory in the cockpit that is separate from the passenger cabin.

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The two airlines that feature onboard showers are Emirates and Etihad, both carriers from the United Arab Emirates. Showers are found solely on their Airbus A380 aircraft. They are reserved for passengers travelling in First Class (on both Emirates and Etihad) and The Residence (on Etihad only).

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Having flown on American's narrow-body aircraft hundreds of times, I can confirm that the slimline lavatories are tiny — it's certainly too small for disabled passengers to use effectively and likely poses a significant challenge to anyone who is even a pound or two overweight.

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An airplane bathroom does not use the water like a regular bathroom. Instead, it uses a vacuum system, and when it flushes it moves into a septic tank that is on the airplane. The pipes used are much smaller than regular plumbing pipes and they can be placed in any direction since they do not use gravity and water.

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Boarding and While Onboard
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and soft drinks to prevent frequent trips to the bathroom. Consider limiting fluids before a flight. Travelers choosing this option should use caution to avoid dehydration, and be sure to re-hydrate upon arrival at the destination.

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Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has a cheeky new distinction — its new bathrooms have been declared the best in the nation for 2023. What goes into winning such an award actually took years of work and thinking about the most private areas in most buildings.

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They are basically a little baggy that has the same stuff they put in a diaper. Some small planes can be fitted with a pilot relief tube.

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