Toilets on reconfigured aircraft really aren't a problem!

[ashleyn]

Qantas just doesn't get the whole passenger experience thing - which is why they are losing market share. The reconfigured A380 is a disaster and will turn people off selecting QF - BC on Virgin to the USA 1 toilet for 12 pax, Qantas 1 for 25...

Are there any facts in this post or just opinions ?

 

[ozmuzz]

Are there any facts in this post or just opinions ?

The numbers quoted are facts.... VA J 1 toilet per 12 pax, QF A380 (new) 1 toilet for 25 pax. Why would you fly QF?

 

[mannej]

The numbers quoted are facts.... VA J 1 toilet per 12 pax, QF A380 (new) 1 toilet for 25 pax. Why would you fly QF?

It's funny you mention as to why you would fly QF due to the toilet to pax ratio - how long has this config been around and how many complaints have there been on here.

I would suggest that there haven't been a great number of complaints, meaning that it isn't high on the list of priorities when choosing an airline.

 

[CaviAck]

Qantas just doesn't get the whole passenger experience thing - which is why they are losing market share. The reconfigured A380 is a disaster and will turn people off selecting QF - BC on Virgin to the USA 1 toilet for 12 pax, Qantas 1 for 25...

"What factors influence choice of airline?"
I'm not convinced: if you ask a majority of passengers (ie not the highly intelligent and informed readership of AFF) "ratio of toilets to passengers" is probably NOT in the top 10 reasons.

Ah, that well informed readership of AFF again....

As an informed reader of AFF, the ratio of toilets to passengers isn't even a concern of mine. Well it kind of was before I flew LAX-SYD on one of the refurbs. Had no issue on the lower deck, not sure about the upper deck though, but one could always pop down to the lower deck via the rear stairs if it starts getting slightly "crowded" on the upper deck.

And as for the pax who aren't avid AFF readers, my family choose tickets based on price and experience. QF was the cheapest for our trip to LOTFAP and so my mum chose that. My aunt has had good experiences on a QF A380 and their QFF program with the points+pay option (I know poor use of points but they're infrequent flyers and any dollars off a sale fare is good in their eyes). After our trip my parents were commenting about how the A380 was a very enjoyable flight compared to all the others they've had in their life time (again this is relative to them). Felt spacious, nice seat room (we're not very big) and the AVOD was nice, especially the tail cam. Overall, my mum now wants to fly QF to LOTFAP because of the A380 product, and TBH so do I.

The only gripe I have with the A380 is the luggage coming out so damn slow... but then with up to 484 pax, one would expect it.

Are there any facts in this post or just opinions ?

Opinion.
On a VA 777 there's 30.08 pax per toilet overall. Or in Y cabin only, 41.14 pax per toilet. (Not sure if Y+ goes to the J toilets or Y toilets... they don't seem to have their own) Also don't forget that one of the toilets in J is female only... so that would add a little bit of a line for the guys.
On a refurb QF A380 there's 34.57 pax per toilet overall. Or in Y cabin only, 46.38 pax per toilet across both decks. On the upper deck only, it's 30 pax per toilet. (I really don't see a problem with the upper deck if the ratio is lower than VA's for the entire plane...) Making the ratio on the lower deck 48.71 pax per toilet.
Overall not a major difference IMO.

And for comparison, on the old config. Overall there's 26.47 pax per toilet. And for the Y cabin only it's 41.5 pax per toilet.

Take what you may from these numbers. IMO IRL this means squat all.

Edit: Just realised this was talking from a premium cabin perspective? If that's the case, where do Y+ go on VA and QF? From the seat maps it seems like Y+ are seated behind toilets that seem like they belong to the J cabin...

 

[trippin_the_rift]

"What factors influence choice of airline?"
I'm not convinced: if you ask a majority of passengers (ie not the highly intelligent and informed readership of AFF) "ratio of toilets to passengers" is probably NOT in the top 10 reasons.

I'm sure bathrooms are not the major deciding factor but all the little things add up quickly into reasons to fly one airline over another.

Also, given that almost 1 in 5 people have some form of IBS - bathrooms have to be a concern for a large group of the population.

 

[Daver6]

NRT -> SYD last month on the reconfig 747. Seated upstairs J. After dinner queue. After waiting 5 minutes headed downstairs to try wash my teeth. Two J toilets there also had decent lines.

In the morning was just unworkable. Everyone had lengthy waits. Got to the point where the crew were letting us use their rest area to get changed out of the pyjamas.

 

[JohnPhelan]

In the morning was just unworkable. Everyone had lengthy waits. Got to the point where the crew were letting us use their rest area to get changed out of the pyjamas.

And this is exactly why there needs to be a changing facility, so people who are just changing into/out of PJs don't take up the toilets. Toilets are supposed to be for toileting (i.e. tasks that require plumbing). Changing clothes should be done elsewhere, and airlines need to provide that 'elsewhere' to prevent people complaining about the toilet queues.

 

[knightman7]

I tend to improvise when needing to change on flights. I have held up a blanket so my wife could change in her seat a few times. I always make sure I use the toilet outside of peak times as well. There's no point complaining about a lack of toilets as in the "peak" usage times, you could double the number of toilets in the J cabin and still have to wait.

 

[Mal]

I have been on a BA F flight where a lady stood in the aisle and got changed...
The thing is if an airline provides a space for getting changed, its pretty much the same amount of space that could be used for an additional toilet...

 

[RooFlyer]

I tend to improvise when needing to change on flights. I have held up a blanket so my wife could change in her seat a few times. I always make sure I use the toilet outside of peak times as well. There's no point complaining about a lack of toilets as in the "peak" usage times, you could double the number of toilets in the J cabin and still have to wait.

I think its been noted here earlier that the major choke point is the time between wake-up, breakfast and seat belts on for landing. Natural time for ablutions, AND changing out of PJs, all while the crew are serving breakfast / clearing it and/or bedding away.

And yes, doubling the toilets (ie as before on upper deck 747s) wouldn't eliminate waits, but it would at least halve the wait and eliminate it on the margins.

Definitely changed my behaviour, and not as I would like it. As soon as I wake now, I make a beeline for the toilets to change etc so as not to get caught (in any sense). Then sit in that tired, fuzzy state until the breakfast action starts.

I'd love it if they introduced a 'take a number' system from the AVOD system. Sounds tacky, but I think less so than multiple pax hovering near the toilet, getting in FAs way, politely manouvering so they can get into the toilet either side in their 'turn'. If you didn't take up your number in, say a minute, it goes onto the next. I'd be happy to work on it on contract for suitable compensation ...

 

[ozmille]

I have been on a BA F flight where a lady stood in the aisle and got changed...

Interesting way of getting changed :shock:

The thing is if an airline provides a space for getting changed, its pretty much the same amount of space that could be used for an additional toilet...

I often wonder about the curtains around the doors that could be used to curtain off a changing area

 

[JohnPhelan]

I often wonder about the curtains around the doors that could be used to curtain off a changing area

Exactly. The voids around the doors are wasted space that could easily be tunred into changing areas for set periods after take-off and before landing.

Also, on the A380, the lounge area at the front of J could easily be curtained off for, say, the first 30 minutes after take-off and the last 30 minutes before descent, to allow people to get changed without clogging up the toilets.

 

[oz_mark]

I would have thought you'd want a changeroom with lockable doors rather than a curtained off area.

 

[ozmille]

I would have thought you'd want a changeroom with lockable doors rather than a curtained off area.

are you referring to the thread on FT about the sleeping with or without underwear Personally sleep with boxers, which are longer than most girls skirts in Sydney, under my pj's so if someone would insist on opening the curtain there wouldn't be too much to see. But can see the point... back to the drawing board it is

 

[under the radar]

I would have thought you'd want a changeroom with lockable doors rather than a curtained off area.

pax 'burp' 'pass wind' 'pick their noses' 'cough up their lungs' 'give PDAs' !!!.....the list goes on, whilst in the 'public' space of the cabin...no need to be 'coy' at changing time!!

 

[drsmithy]

The numbers quoted are facts.... VA J 1 toilet per 12 pax, QF A380 (new) 1 toilet for 25 pax. Why would you fly QF?

Because until reading this post I've never in my life known - or even wondered - about what the ratio of toilets to passengers is ?

 

[markis10]

Because until reading this post I've never in my life known - or even wondered - about what the ratio of toilets to passengers is ?

I have wondered about it while waiting, which was the case on a 744ER last Sunday night three times.