Toilets on airplanes are a very important detail of comfort, especially during long flights. Let's see how they work and how to use them correctly.
Are there toilets on airplanes?
Of course, even the smallest passenger airbus has a toilet. This is a necessity for a comfortable flight of passengers to their destination. The lavatory is equipped with sewage and water, which is necessary for personal hygiene. The toilet itself is quite small in size. There is a toilet bowl, sink, urn for used toilet paper and other hygiene products, and some also have baby changing boards. Special children's mini-tables recline and fix if necessary. Some modern types of aircraft also have latrines for the disabled.
How it works?
Many people wonder about how the toilet is arranged in an airplane. As a rule, these are dry closets, all waste from which is collected in special tanks. The volume of these tanks can be different - from 115 to 270 liters. In order for the unpleasant odor not to spread throughout the cabin, special chemicals are added to this container that disinfect the water and eliminate the stench. Cargo from waste is stored on the plane throughout the flight. Some people think that after washing off, all sewage is sent to open space, but this is an erroneous opinion. A tank or reservoir, which is gradually filled, after landing , is removed, taken out and disposed of.
What problems can arise?
Sometimes toilets on airplanes break down. The main cause of trouble is the human factor. Someone out of ignorance, intentionally or accidentally, can drop something into the toilet. If this thing turns out to be large, then aircraft technicians have a lot of work to do. After all, this is not home plumbing, which can be quickly dealt with and resolved in a few minutes. This is a serious system, the slightest malfunction of which disables it for a long period of time. Therefore, in toilets in large letters on the tablets, words are displayed that it is necessary to be extremely careful, and for used diapers and feminine hygiene products there is a garbage container, which is strongly advised to use.
When the plane arrives at its destination, a car with a large corrugated hose drives up to it without delay. It is connected to the opening of the tank, in which waste was collected throughout the flight. An unpleasant problem may also occur at this point. If the connection is incorrect or of poor quality, the hose may break and all contents will simply pour onto the airport employees. Another problem may arise if something sticks to the walls of the tank or tank. In this case, a serious flushing of the entire system will be required. Therefore, before sending anything forbidden to the toilet, remember how to use the toilet on the plane. And think about how much trouble and inconvenience this can cause.
Terms of use
If you are flying for the first time and still do not know how the toilet works in an airplane, do not hesitate to ask the flight attendants about this. They will tell you how to use the restroom at height:
- The door is opened by pressing the handle located directly under the Lavatory plate.
- If the toilet is already occupied by someone, the inscription is highlighted in red. If it is free and accessible - green.
- How is the toilet on the plane? A little bit different than we are used to. Therefore, you can visit it only during the flight after gaining altitude. Using it during take-off and landing is strictly prohibited. Also, with a recommendation to take their places, for example, with turbulence, the toilet should be left immediately.
- It is recommended to visit the restrooms on airplanes 10 minutes before eating and drinking, or 15 minutes after eating.
- It is forbidden to throw paper, gaskets and other hygiene products into the toilet itself. For this, each toilet has special bins.
- Some latrines are equipped with a special folding board for changing small children. Check with the flight attendant which toilets on airplanes have, especially if you are traveling with a small child.
- Since the flushing of the waste takes place with a powerful jet of air, before this procedure it is necessary to check whether the toilet lid is lowered.
- It is forbidden to smoke in the toilet, as there is a special fire alarm that works even with the slightest smoke.
Where does the noise come from when draining?
For some passengers, it may seem that when draining water in the toilet bowl, a characteristic noise is heard, similar to a short-term depressurization in the cabin. However, this is just an illusion, since the waste is not thrown out into the air at all, but sent to a special sealed tank. In addition, water is not drained due to the fact that it is extremely uneconomical. Therefore, waste products are removed by a powerful directed stream of air, which is why a sound similar to depressurization occurs.
Where are the toilets on aircraft of different brands?
In various airbuses, restrooms are located in different places. Their number is also different:
- In the popular Boeing 737, as well as in TU-154 and A-320, there are three toilets in total. One of them is located at the entrance to the plane, the other two are in the tail.
- In the huge Boeing 767 there are as many as five toilets. Two of them are in economy class. One is at the beginning of the business area. Two more - in the passage between them.
- Toilets in Boeing 747 aircraft are located two at the end and at the beginning of the airbus. Four are in the middle and three more are on the second deck. There are eleven in total.
A bit of history
In various countries, when designing toilets in military aircraft, they came up with sewage and water systems. However, most of these aircraft in the USSR and the Russian Federation do not have restrooms. For small needs, each crew member has a special urinal that closes hermetically. At the same time, there’s nowhere to go. Some military transport aircraft still use ordinary buckets and plastic bottles. Now you know almost everything about how the toilet works in an airplane and what are the rules for using it. Fly with pleasure!