Flush with Pride

Two compact lavatory designs now being introduced into

some of the Airbus configurations

I was recently on a my much-traveled Los Angeles to New York air route on a carrier that I actually like: American Airlines. I have also recently flown a bunch of other airlines to take me to international destinations, and since clients are paying for these flights, often with airlines where they have special deals, I defer and fly on their designated carriers. I was recently in a restroom on a flight when, you guessed it, minor turbulence struck… not too bad, but enough. I really hadn’t noticed that I had to duck my head to fit in the lavatory, but that turbulence reminded me that… well… made me ask… are airplane bathrooms somehow getting smaller? Notice the curve of the ceiling in each of the above configurations. Duck and uncover!!

Hmmm. We know that airlines are squeezing in more seats in economy. The width of seats in coach is generally getting smaller even as American girths are getting better. Almost one third of U.S. adults, those who are truly obese, will spill over beyond their newly-narrowed seat… and can enjoy even more of that sardine moment “worse” with up to one to three inches of reduced leg room. Business and first class are getting better, however, if you can afford that choice. Today there is coach… and there is increasingly some enhanced version of coach on larger aircraft ($$)… where legroom is what it used to be.

In answer to my question, yes, airlines are absolutely reducing the size of their restrooms in order to add more seats. The July 12^th Los Angeles Times explains: “If the restroom on your next flight seems a bit snug, don’t assume you’ve picked up a few pounds. U.S. airlines increasingly are putting smaller lavatories on their planes — and the economics of the decision means the smaller restrooms are probably here to stay.

“As labor costs rise and fuel prices surge, airlines are taking advantage of robust travel demand to squeeze as many passengers as possible into planes.

“Knee-bashing reductions to legroom and elbow-crunching cuts to seat size are well-known tactics. The latest method is to retrofit old aircraft and order new ones with svelte lavatories that allow for an extra row of seats in the cabin.

“Airlines say the new restrooms are just a few inches smaller than what passengers are used to. But it’s not as though the bathrooms were that big to begin with, and the tighter fit is sparking complaints from pilots, concerns from flight attendants and griping from travelers. Consultant Samuel Engel said taking his 4-year-old son to the restroom during a recent four-hour flight was like a yoga exercise.

“‘We’re both compact people, but I still had to basically straddle him to be able to fit in the lav together,’ said Engel, who leads the aviation group at consulting firm ICF. ‘The sink is so tiny that we did a sort of four-handed ballet to wash each of our hands in turn, splashing water all over in the process.’”

OK, what does the money look like? The LA Times continues: “Gary Weissel, managing director of Tronos Aviation Consulting Inc., estimated that American could generate about $400,000 a year for each seat it adds to a plane, based on average fares and typical aircraft usage.” Wow!

We do live in an era where the federal government is fervently pro-business without the slightest regard for individual comfort, safety and protection. The Bureau of Consumer Protection (of the Federal Trade Commission), any agency regulating the relationship between individual consumers and big financial institutions (such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), the Environmental Protection Agency, and just about anything that protects individuals against big business monoliths are being defunded, downsized (often eviscerated) and enabling regulations are being removed by the hundreds. Consumers are relegated to social media to protest.

The press to make profits has never been higher. Corporate taxes have never been lower in this modern era. And consumers have never been less important. Well, get used to it. We are increasingly reliant on social responsibility based on the largesse of corporate America, often not much in the way of largesse, I might add. But if there is an annoyance, if big business is stepping where you do not believe it should step… protest, write and scream!!!

I’m Peter Dekom, but don’t forget to wash your hands after you flush with pride!