I get very cramped and very bored, and the crew frowns on loitering in the aisles or galley, so on a long flight I’ll sit in the loo for a few moments and reflect upon the journey ahead. Unless it’s nasty.
I think I have used the lavatory on every flight I have ever taken, except for one puddle-hop that did not have a lavatory-- it was a 35 minute flight from Bloomington, IN to Indianapolis, which no longer runs. The plane only had maybe 6 or 8 passenger seats, and was a commuter flight that happened to have a free seat, so saved my parents driving me to the Indy airport when I was a high school senior.
No lavatory.
I was nervous as hell, and probably used the bathroom in the tiny airport 7 times before we left. I had a congenitally undersized bladder (not diagnosed at the time) that has now been treated treated through a procedure, and a 5-year course of medicine, so I can wait comfortably for hours, but back then, 90 minutes was my record.
I probably flew on average, twice a year, growing up, but in my 20s, never, because enlarged adenoids started giving me bad headaches and stopped up ears for days. Had them removed around around age 32, and now flying is a pleasure, but with COVID and high prices, I haven’t flown since Jan 2020.
I have done it all, including changing the baby’s diaper. I even washed up in one toward the end of an 11 hr flight where, thanks to pharmaceuticals, and a Comfort+ seat, I managed to sleep several hours.
I haven’t been on an airplane since 2000 but remember queuing as soon as the seat belt sign turned off. The lavatory was clean and roomy enough. It appears they’re smaller now but that’s a sign of the times.
There are a remarkable number of people who seem nearly allergic to using any toilet but (heh) the one in their own home. We’ve had threads and threads on it. Baffles me completely but it takes all kinds to fill the DSM.
I can certainly see people’s reluctance to use that compact space if they are obese or otherwise mobility challenged. Otherwise ???
As to me:
As a passenger it’s very rare I don’t use the lav at least once on a flight. The exception commonly being the <1 hour quickies.
Back when I was still working and passengering it was normal that deadheading crew would board ahead of all the passengers, even the wheelchair types. So I’d dump my bags at my seat, walk all the way back to introduce myself to all the FAs, perhaps cadge a snack or water bottle from the aft galley, hit the aft pisser for one last draining, then head back forward to my seat to settle in for the ride knowing I had about 3 hours range in my tank.
As working crew, it was a very rare flight we didn’t use the lavs very late in boarding; that sacred ritual even had an “official” acronymn: PDP for pre-departure pee. We’d do it again shortly before starting descent. Once we start downhill there isn’t free time to take a break. Especially if delays or even diversions are in the offing, you don’t want to already have a 3/4th full bladder with 2 intense hours of work ahead of you, and having had a bunch of liquids in the previous 2 hours.
I did use it once (just before “going to bed” – I did get some sleep) on a Chicago-London flight. I think I used one once before that.
I usually go right before boarding, and right after getting off the plane.
I do not fly often.(commercially). My private flying is usually short.
Brian
Definitely.
Had a weird experience on a recent flight to Dubai. In the middle of the night I got up to piss. The door said “vacant”, but when I pushed it open, there was a young woman sitting on the can. Not sure if she was unfamiliar with the concept of engaging the lock/turning on the light, but it was curious.
I did that for years. And every time we traveled by plane I’d lose at least one vacation day, throwing up with a splitting headache. I finally realized I was causing it myself, and for no real reason. I drink and pee all I want now!
I will probably use the lav on any flights over 3 hours. I’ve done a number of 10+ hour flights, and I think everyone on the plane used the bathrooms on those flights. Certainly depending on the plane type and configuration the size and comfort of the lavs varies.
Me three. Changing my son’s diaper was one of the most traumatic experiences either one of us has ever had, I think! It was a complete blowout, and I had just brought the essentials in with me before I had properly assessed the situation. I had to peek my head out, and have the flight attendant get my wife’s attention to bring the whole diaper bag up. Had to completely redress him - I ended up just throwing his original outfit away in that tiny little trash can in there.
I might have a cocktail on the plane, but not beer. We always go before boarding. It can be a looong time before your able to use the lav.
This. I almost always use the bathroom in a plane. It’s an excuse to get up and stretch my legs. I like to stay hydrated. Why not?
I try not to need to go #2 on flights, because the space is cramped and i like to spread out for that. And also, i don’t want to camp out there too long when other people need it, nor make a stink. But I’ve done that, as well.
I am very interested in your program and would appreciate receiving your literature!
try standing there to pee, while limboing backwards because there’s not enough head room. If I designed them, they’d flipflop the toilet & the sink because I can at least squat down a bit at the sink if I need to.
When my brother worked at Air Canada, it was not unknown to prank the newby by giving them less than complete instructions on how to do this. Guffaws and cries of “premature payload deployment!” followed the newby to the nearest washroom.
Been there. Those things are LOUD!
Singin’ ♫ ♪ C-130 rollin’ down the strip…♬ ♩
That’s a shitty thing to do to the new guy
Good idea. I just have to sort of cram my head in a ceiling corner. You bend down to wash your hands anyway. So, good idea.
I had a buddy in college who used to call me a “urinary camel”, because I could go many hours without having to pee. But my bladder isn’t what it used to be.
One thing I learned quickly about using an airplane toilet is don’t even try to pee standing up. That’s just a recipe for disaster.
Women, and men who need to poop, all need to sit to use the toilet. I think they optimize the tiny amount of allotted space for using it that way.
Also, they usually have a shelf directly over the toilet that you can swing down for changing a baby. There needs to be space to do that, too.
Yes. Like some others have said, it’s pretty rare that I don’t use it on any flight longer than an hour or two. And I always try to get an aisle seat for that reason. There probably is the “small bladder” factor like others mentioned. But I also have a tendency, if I notice that I kind of could pee, but it hasn’t reached the point where I really need to pee, to start thinking “What if we hit turbulence later, and they turn on the seatbelt sign? Or are we getting close to starting our descent? I’d better just go pee now, while I have the chance.”