12 replies

tuzza1

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 02 Aug 2012

Total posts 93

Wow. On board QF660 adl to bris. 737-800. In Y.

I never thought that airline toilets could get any smaller. I'm not a big person but can hardly move inside the new offering. I don't know how big people would get on (or off)

It it me or are others surprised at the size.

silentiger86

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 23 Dec 2017

Total posts 90

Apologies if this sounds rude. But is this the first time you have flown Qantas domestically?

Pcoder

Member since 14 Oct 2016

Total posts 25

In the last couple of years, Qantas has refurbished their 738 fleet. When they did this, they added the new slim line toilet, which allowed them to add another row of economy seats.

Unfortunately this new slim toilet is extremely tight and is also a bit of a health and safety issue as it's hard to wipe your backside and properly wash you hands, even for normal sized people. In the states, there has been numerous complaints about these toilets issued by flight attendants and there is some action now being undertaken by the airlines around their many issues.

Unfortunately Boeing in recent times has been at the forefront of squeezing economy passengers (ie 9 abreast 787, 10 abreast 777) to improve the economics of their planes and this is just another way they are doing it. Unfortunately with Boeing, it almost seems to be run by accountants now.

Ryan K

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 30 May 2013

Total posts 155

Originally Posted by silentiger86

Apologies if this sounds rude. But is this the first time you have flown Qantas domestically?


It does sound kind of rude. It's only recently that Qantas added an extra row of seats to it's 737-800 fleet and in doing this installed "slimline" lavatories.

Ryan K

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 30 May 2013

Total posts 155

Originally Posted by Pcoder

In the last couple of years, Qantas has refurbished their 738 fleet. When they did this, they added the new slim line toilet, which allowed them to add another row of economy seats.

Unfortunately this new slim toilet is extremely tight and is also a bit of a health and safety issue as it's hard to wipe your backside and properly wash you hands, even for normal sized people. In the states, there has been numerous complaints about these toilets issued by flight attendants and there is some action now being undertaken by the airlines around their many issues.

Unfortunately Boeing in recent times has been at the forefront of squeezing economy passengers (ie 9 abreast 787, 10 abreast 777) to improve the economics of their planes and this is just another way they are doing it. Unfortunately with Boeing, it almost seems to be run by accountants now.

It's not so much Boeing that is at fault, it's the airlines that are in charge of how they configure their cabins. Boeing launched the 787 with 8 seats across in economy, it's the airlines that chose to squeeze in an extra row.

Phil Young

Qantas

Member since 22 Oct 2012

Total posts 250

If you think that the bathrooms in the QF 738's are small, try getting yourself into a QF Dash-8's bathroom. They are incredibly narrow.

Pcoder

Member since 14 Oct 2016

Total posts 25

Originally Posted by Ryan K

Originally Posted by Pcoder

In the last couple of years, Qantas has refurbished their 738 fleet. When they did this, they added the new slim line toilet, which allowed them to add another row of economy seats.

Unfortunately this new slim toilet is extremely tight and is also a bit of a health and safety issue as it's hard to wipe your backside and properly wash you hands, even for normal sized people. In the states, there has been numerous complaints about these toilets issued by flight attendants and there is some action now being undertaken by the airlines around their many issues.

Unfortunately Boeing in recent times has been at the forefront of squeezing economy passengers (ie 9 abreast 787, 10 abreast 777) to improve the economics of their planes and this is just another way they are doing it. Unfortunately with Boeing, it almost seems to be run by accountants now.

It's not so much Boeing that is at fault, it's the airlines that are in charge of how they configure their cabins. Boeing launched the 787 with 8 seats across in economy, it's the airlines that chose to squeeze in an extra row.

I still feel Boeing when developing the 787 should have either made the fuselage wider or narrow to prevent this from happening. You just have to look at the a330, very few operators use the tight layout as it doesn't work for full service airlines. Even with the 767 only a handful of planes use the 8 abreast layout.

I still feel although they might of had glossy brochures with 8 abreast, they were always aiming for 9 abreast to improve the economics.


flyingdr

Member since 22 Dec 2017

Total posts 7

Completely agree that the new 738 lavs are too small.

Taking a toddler into one of them on a recent trip left us both wet, dirty and crying!

xtfer

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 14 Mar 2017

Total posts 159

Curse you, tiny toilet!

tommygun

Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles

Member since 16 Oct 2017

Total posts 282

Passenger comfort on aircraft is now an oxymoron. They can do what they like because they know we'll keep flying anyway. What other choice is there? It's a long drive otherwise, and we don't have any high speed trains.

Ozshanel

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 08 Dec 2014

Total posts 14

Originally Posted by tommygun

Passenger comfort on aircraft is now an oxymoron. They can do what they like because they know we'll keep flying anyway. What other choice is there? It's a long drive otherwise, and we don't have any high speed trains.

To be perfectly honest, passengers have no-one to blame but themselves. As long as the focus for the majority of people is on getting the cheapest fare possible, airlines are going to have to squeeze more people on the plane in order to make any money.

tommygun

Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles

Member since 16 Oct 2017

Total posts 282

Originally Posted by Ozshanel

Originally Posted by tommygun

Passenger comfort on aircraft is now an oxymoron. They can do what they like because they know we'll keep flying anyway. What other choice is there? It's a long drive otherwise, and we don't have any high speed trains.

To be perfectly honest, passengers have no-one to blame but themselves. As long as the focus for the majority of people is on getting the cheapest fare possible, airlines are going to have to squeeze more people on the plane in order to make any money.

I agree, up to a point. Would we allow airlines to squeeze more people onto the plane by having no toilets at all? Of course not. There comes a point where enough is enough. Regulators are the only force than can keep the tug of war between cheap seats and basic passenger amenity in any sort of balance. In Australia the regulators IMHO need to do more than they have been willing to do so far.

On another level, is it really necessary for airlines to keep fares at rock bottom by sacrificing passenger amenity? I'd suggest, as in my OP, that people will continue to fly whatever the fare. In a big country such as Australia there isn't any other choice.



olliek57

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 06 Jul 2018

Total posts 11

Surely the regulators certified those size of toilets? They are clearly not functional for larger sized people or families who need to change infants.....

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