Home > Blog > Restroom Etiquette for Air Travelers

Restroom Etiquette for Air Travelers

Have you ever flown Air Pacific? Aren’t they wonderful? I could not believe the legroom and the service. The flight attendees were incredible. Not only did they perform their tasks well, but they were so genuine and warmly authentic. I felt like I could not have been in better hands.

The challenge—and of course there has to be challenge—was one or two other fellow passengers. Although I hesitate to hold them responsible because, lets face it, who teaches people how to behave on an airplane? There’s no real manual, and some of us don’t go out of our own “zone” long enough to look around.

As we rush along the aisle, hoping the queue will not be too long, I wonder how many of us give thought to the bathroom etiquette that we should observe as we relieve ourselves at thirty thousand feet.

Here are some recommendations I put together. It’s a bit of a “how to” for restroom etiquette on an airplane.

When using the restroom on a plane:

• • Use the seat cover that is provided. It’s there to protect your health and the health of your fellow air travel mates. Pull gently on it so that just one cover comes out, rather than half a dozen. If more come out of the package, discard them in the wastebasket. Please don’t leave on the floor! It’s not pleasant to be walking around with a toilet cover stuck to your shoe!

• • Close the lid of the toilet before flushing. (We can tell if you have done this, as the lid should be closed when the next person arrives in the washroom.) During turbulence, liquid can easily splash up onto the seat—and sitting down on that does not make for a pleasant experience for anyone! This also keeps the water from being splashed onto the seat when you brush your teeth or wash your hands in the sink.

• • Always, always, always drain your water from the sink. After you have dried your hands (taking 1 or 2 towelletes) give the sink a quick wipe. Flight attendants simply cannot clean up after each person. And thank goodness for that otherwise it might take us even longer to get to use the washroom.

• • If you spray on the mirror while brushing your teeth wipe it up with a towellete with clean water. Trust me it will work like a charm.

• If you pull out too many towellettes, place the extras on the counter. If they end up on the floor, please toss them in the garbage. They are definitely not suitable to use.

During a long trip a nasty bathroom does nothing to perk the spirit up. Basic bathroom etiquette demands at the very minimum you clean up after yourself. If something splashes, wipe it up. If something drops, toss it out. Leave the tiny space the way you found it – or better!

Photo credit: eyeliam

Posted by Margaret in Etiquette Tips.