How Hygienic is Your Airplane Lavatory? 

As more travellers take to the skies for quick transport, along with leg-room even the size of lavatories is becoming economized. 

 A 2017 report by Condé Nast Traveler showed that as older planes are taken out of service, newer-model passenger planes are coming in with modified bathrooms that are up to two inches smaller in width and depth. 

 

Due to the lack of laws governing lavatory hygiene, maintenance is left to the airline’s own standards. 

 

Even though airlines may encourage you to take your shoes off and relax during a flight, do not walk to the lavatory without proper footwear or foot protection. Flight attendants cannot mop and sponge the floor during a flight. This allows for contaminants from seeping into your socks or bare feet.  

 

The bleach-filled products used by airlines are the same used to maintain hygiene at hotels, it also serves as a deodorizer. It is highly suggested to use a disinfectant spray to clean the commode of the lavatory before using it. Most flights provide toilet covers as well. There are products such as PeeBuddy which ensure hygienic methods as opposed to depending on the pre-destined cleanliness. 

 

On most airlines, the lavatories are regularly disinfected. The flight attendants check if all the facilities are in working order before every flight and routinely during the flight, to ensure the lavatories are stocked and tidy. This is done every 30 minutes, so a big part of hygiene and maintenance during flight is in the good graces of your flight attendant. 

 

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