Washed up

Lavatories feel the squeeze as airlines plump for density

Airline lavatories aren’t glamorous. Very few passengers give them much thought until something goes wrong — either there aren’t enough, or one gets blocked, or the entire lavatory system goes down and an aircraft has to divert.

Advances in lavatory technology mean fewer lavs going awry than in previous years, and the old smelly blue water systems have been replaced by vacuum toilets. But for passengers with reduced mobility, older people, taller travellers and broader passengers, aircraft lavatories are often something of an obstacle course. With aging populations who are both bigger and wider than before, and with people with disabilities quite rightly insisting on their ability to travel, lavatories are becoming a pressing issue for the aviation industry.