This post was initially published on Hipmunk’s Tailwind Blog on December 21, 2015
As the luxury travel market continues to expand, the trend is influencing all facets of travel, from hotel rooms to airport lounges. Airlines are particularly interested in improving their amenities on offer in order to compete with each other and win the favor of passengers—and in the process, they’re leaving no stone unturned.
In the quest to deliver the most pleasant airplane experience around, airlines are paying increased attention to all the details on board, and that includes restroom facilities. While economy passengers probably won’t see significant bathroom upgrades any time soon, those fortunate enough to fly business or first class accommodations are in for some pleasant surprises. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best innovations in airplane bathrooms to date.
Emirates Airline
Emirate’s A380 first class offers what are perhaps the most luxurious bathroom amenities in the world. Emirates has capitalized on the spaciousness of the A380 by adding two shower suites to its long list of first class amenities. In addition to their spacious showers, the suites are decked out with heated floors, luxury toiletries, a closet, a well-lit vanity, marble sinks, plenty of changing room, a toilet, and two attendants dedicated exclusively to keeping the showers clean and welcoming. It’s the cleanest you’ll ever feel at 40,000 feet.
While nowhere near as luxurious as the first-class restrooms, the A380’s business class bathrooms are bright, spacious, clean, and designed with faux wood finishings in order to create a sense of style in the sky. Those traveling aboard a plane other than the A380 will still enjoy top-rate bathroom amenities. First class passengers have access to two dedicated bathrooms stocked with complimentary toiletries (including combs and dental kits); business class travelers can enjoy compact but clean and functional facilities.
Lufthansa
While the airline chose not to equip its A380 first class cabins with shower suites, Lufthansa still boasts two massive bathrooms that are substantially larger than restrooms on other airlines. Each of the lavatories features a cushioned bench, a separate urinal, a mirrored vanity, hooks for hanging bags or clothing, and a dedicated changing space. It all adds up to an experience that will allow travelers to feel truly refreshed before heading back to their seats.
Qatar Airways
The first class restrooms on Qatar’s A380 are a destination in their own right. Each lavatory is incredibly spacious, luxuriously designed, and functional—the bathrooms include large sinks with sensor-operated faucets, a place to hang clothes, and a long bench that accommodates anyone looking to change clothes or spruce up a bit near the end of a flight.
First class travelers aboard a plane other than the A380 will still enjoy spacious bathrooms loaded with high-quality amenities. Can’t afford first class? Not to worry.Business class bathrooms on all Qatar flights are clean, bright, and stocked with toiletries in addition to a full-length mirror.
Turkish Airlines
While many airlines have prioritized improvements to their first class amenities, Turkish Airlines has made a point of tending to the needs of its business class travelers. To that end, the airline’s business class bathrooms are spacious, clean, and stocked with liquid soap and hand moisturizer. And with a low ratio of bathrooms to passengers, you’ll almost never need to wait in line in order to use the facilities.
The moral of the story? Not all porcelain thrones are created equal. If you have the resources to do so, you won’t regret treating yourself to any of these stellar loos.
By Olivia GrilHey Folks! I'm Olivia from California, United States. I'm a blogger, travel lover, I can travel anywhere, whether it's a new place or already visited. I love meeting new people, clicking photos of every movement, and documenting my adventure. I also, write about travel, travel movies, the best places to visit, etc. Read my stories.
