The Shrinking Size of Airplane Toilets: A Closer Look

If you’ve flown recently, you might have noticed that onboard toilets—often referred to as ‘lavatories’—are getting smaller. This is not merely a perception; it is a significant trend driven by engineering efforts to maximize space on aircraft.

Is it our imagination, or are airplane toilets decreasing in size? © Getty Images

Why is this happening? Lavatories do not sell tickets. Seats, on the other hand, generate revenue, which is why airlines are willing to sacrifice lavatory space for additional seating. This practice is particularly prominent in larger aircraft where the space occupied by lavatories could instead accommodate more seats.

Shaving Off Inches

It may seem irrational, but if an airline can save just seven inches (approximately 18cm) of space from the size of a lavatory, it can greatly impact passenger comfort. This is evident in the design by Collins Aerospace for the Boeing 737, where the slimline loo enables the last row of seats to recline into cut-out spaces, maximizing both seating and comfort.

Sinks can be so small that it’s hard to avoid water getting everywhere. © Getty Images

While these developments sound beneficial, they often result in cramped conditions. The recline of seats may align perfectly with the size of the sink, which is now downsized to a point where using them can lead to spills. This design challenge becomes even more significant on longer flights where the increased need for lavatory use is evident.

The Kitchen-Toilet Trade-off

Airbus has countered this trend with its A320 aircraft through a design known as ‘Space-Flex’. This strategy involves relocating two rear lavatories to the back wall of the cabin, where a portion of the galley kitchen would typically be located. The trade-off is a reduction in catering space to allow airlines to introduce additional rows of seats, enhancing their revenue potential.

However, positioning a lavatory adjacent to a kitchen raises hygiene concerns, given the state some lavatories can be found in during flights. Nonetheless, the combination of two smaller lavatories into one larger space for accessibility purposes greatly benefits passengers with reduced mobility.

The Airbus A320’s old galley. It’s now been reconfigured to accommodate an accessible toilet © CHENG FENG CHIANG / Getty Images

Unfortunately, there is a regulatory gap that does not mandate lavatories on narrowbody planes for passengers requiring extra space, which presents challenges for disabled travelers. Addressing these needs through innovative design, as Airbus has, is essential in modern aviation.

Bigger Planes Don’t Mean More Lavatories

Interestingly, in larger planes, the trend is to maintain or even reduce the number of lavatories while adding more seats. This practice continues for the same reason as with smaller aircraft: lavatories do not contribute to profitability. Airlines achieve greater financial efficiency by eliminating lavatory space in favor of additional seating.

While large aircraft typically offer more spacious lavatories, it’s crucial to note that widebody planes are required to have at least one lavatory accessible to passengers with reduced mobility and other disabilities.

With fewer toilets on board, there’s more chance passengers will have to queue © frontpoint / Getty Images

Consequently, leading airlines often boast about luxury features such as onboard showers, as seen with Emirates and Etihad, while Lufthansa proudly maintains one of the few onboard urinals. In the economy class, Airbus even offers downstairs lavatories on certain aircraft models, showcasing innovative use of space.

Despite these advancements, many seasoned travelers maintain that the best restroom experience is found in the terminal before boarding your flight.

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