Ludicrously small toilets – coming soon to a plane near you

Airline passengers may be getting larger, but the onboard toilets are getting smaller as the industry looks at ways of packing in even more fare-paying passengers. The latest squeeze comes against a backdrop of carriers cutting legroom and making seats narrower. According to the industry, the incredible shrinking lavatory is making it possible for airlines to cut fares, and both Boeing and Airbus are bowing to demands from airlines to make onboard toilets more compact. In the US, the newest Boeing 737 aircraft flown by American, Delta and United, feature cubicles just 24 inches wide – down from the 34 inches offered previously. In Europe, Ryanair and Norwegian have each ordered more than 100 of these 737 MAXs. But complaints have been flooding in from passengers struggling to use the cramped facilities. In particular, the sinks are said to be so small that it is impossible to wash both hands at the same time. The rear of the plane, meanwhile, is so cramped that when the doors of the two hindmost loos are opened, cabin crew are sealed off in the galley and unable to reach passengers. “The Ryanair 737 MAX [the first of which will be delivered next year] will set the gold standard for the industry,” said Bob Mann, a New York-based aviation consultant. “The mould has been set with investors’ desire for densification and this is the industry’s response."<br/>