David Randles

What do you think of the onboard lavatory? Do you think they are generally kept clean and tidy?

Please complete my survey if you wish to help. It will take up to 5 minutes: https://goo.gl/forms/kBASmibAoF2I2D603
The survey will be closed on 30-Nov-17. Results will be made on available on 08-Jan-2018

A bit more about me, I am a master student of industrial design engineering at TU Delft in the Netherlands. I'm new to the forum so let me know if there is a better place to ask these questions, or if you've seen any other similar posts. I want to know as part of my thesis, how do frequent flyers rate lavatories and how sanitary are they really? Please reply to the post if you have any good insights.

Thanks everyone!

pinniped

I'm blocked from reaching your site, so I'll just say it here: the aircraft lav is about the most disgusting place on earth. Always, from the first minute of the first flight of the day. In fact, I'm pretty sure Boeing ships brand new product to airlines with pre-skunked, nasty lavs.

They're never *not* totally gross.

Hope that helps the survey.

WorldLux

You fail to take into account that cleanness of lavatories is in direct relation to the travel class. International First class lavs are always clean. Business lavatories are generally clean and Economy lavatories are usually dirtier than the ones at a club on Sunday morning.

skywardhunter

Aircraft lavs can be decent or disgusting, but on average are still always cleaner and in better condition overall than other forms of public transport, including bus, train and boat, even in first world countries.

pinniped

OK, I'll stand corrected: the lavs on a passenger ferry are grosser than on those on airplanes. Total vomit odds are way higher...

I don't believe I've ever entered a bus lav.

timfountain

Also, how is it possible for Boeing to design an $100M 737-900 but neglect to design a toilet in first class that allows one to pee standing up without having to hold the seat up (Yuuuuck!)? I'll never figure that one out.

Annalisa12

Agree

David Randles

This is an interesting point. If men would sit down when they urinate it would avoid this problem and also keep the toilet and floor clean. But most men won't sit down to pee.

In the Netherlands the train service provider is rolling out new trains with urinals in the lavatories for men. This could work on planes but since the space in more limited it could also do more harm than good.

skywardhunter

Men definitely won't sit down to pee on public transport, no one would if they could avoid it.

etch5895

The lavs on my recent CRJ-200 flights were just great! Roomy, quiet and oh so clean! I'm 6'0 and I had plenty of room to move around.

84fiero

I did once - forget what country it was - when I had no choice. It was as bad as you would imagine.

lhrsfo

I hate the lavs on 737s. Almost impossible for a man to use. Conversely those on 350s and 787s are nice.

VivoPerLei

For me, it's all about quantity over quality. I honestly don't really care if an aircraft lav is disgusting. I've used plenty of outhouses and filthy port-a-potties. I just want to finish my business without having to queue 10 deep for the one or two lavs onboard.

CDTraveler

From a fellow student of design: one of the worst aspects of most plane lavs is the sink and faucet. Most faucets require you to hold down the controls with one hand to get the water to flow. This means only one hand can be in the water stream at a time, making effective hand washing difficult (spent years in healthcare where basic training included very detailed hand washing training to minimize spread of disease).

The basins usually are default set to fill, not drain - I know some people fill the basin and wash their in hands that water, but that is highly unsanitary and increases the chances of bacteria from the environment ending up on the person.

The curvature of the basin often increases the chances of water splashing everywhere, creating a situation where the floor is almost always wet (and disgusting) resulting in increased amounts of whatever is on the floor sticking to shoes and being tracked out of the lav.

The design changes I'd like to see are a way to wash both hands under running water, a basin shaped to minimize splashing and a counter sloped so that water will readily drain off the counter into the basin. Floors should have some sort of drainage system for liquids, especially right below the toilet in case some pax miss their target.

skywardhunter

The A380 has proximity sensors even in Y and default drains. 77Ws you need to push and some drain some fill. The fill idea is stupid, agreed.