New York – Airplane lavatories are among the few unisex bathrooms most people encounter, but that’s about to change for some air travelers.
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The Japanese airline All Nippon Airways will introduce women-only lavatories on its international routes starting Monday.
The move comes in response to “numerous requests from passengers for this service,” the company said in a statement.
Many women called for the airline to give them their own lavatories in a 2007 survey of customers, said ANA spokesman Justin C. Massey.
“They didn’t list any specific complaints. … It was just more a matter of general preference,” Massey added.
One women-only lavatory will be designated in the rear section of the passenger cabin and will display a pink version of the universal sign for a ladies’ room as a way to let male travelers know to look for another option. Women can still use any other lavatory.
While restricting men from using the women-only bathroom, the airline has spelled out exceptions to the rule, such when required for safety reasons or when a passenger is not feeling well or “when there are very few female passengers and the women-only designation has been lifted for the flight.”
There are no plans to designate men-only lavatories, Massey said.
There was mixed reaction to the announcement on FlyerTalk, an online community for frequent fliers.
“The lavatories are scarce enough already. The last thing we need is more restriction of choice,” one poster wrote.
“I’ve never understood gender segregation of single-person bathrooms,” another said.
“Cleanliness is probably the main reason,” countered a third poster.
ANA also made news last fall when it encouraged passengers to use restrooms before boarding to reduce the weight of planes as part of its “ecological travel on the ground and in the sky” campaign.
She’osani kirtzono!
Isn’t this discrimination against men?
what happened to equality
?
If you’re not Japanese don’t fly with JAL they cater to japanese culture only and this was on buisness class.
is the best for men, since all women will wait for this 1 restroom and men will be able to use all the other
I am just afraid of longer lines because when a lady will “have” to go, she will go to any bathroom but chas vashulom if a man will be in that situation and he will enter the womens bathroom, they will arrest him
If men start hitting the target, plane bathrooms wouldn’t be so disgusting. Can’t you guys clean up after yourselves? Your mothers or wives aren’t going to do it for you.
I wonder which routes Nippon flies?? I like this!
Why not ONLY MEN?
woman here- this is so dumb! why is it that at every public bathroom, the lines for hte womens’ bathrooms are ALWAYS longer than the mens’ lines??!?! I would NEVER want to wait in line for this added “service”!
i agree with extra toilet, the lady’s don’t have step on all over from irresponsible men left overs
What a break through in tzniyus only Elal won’t do this do you know how many times I by mistake touched a woman while waiting for a bathroom on plane?
please explain why single bathrooms need to be separated????
They should make men only bathrooms. The women take longer then men and why should we wait in line for them.
This sounds like what some rabbis would love for El Al to do. Men will wear mehitzas on their faces and women will use the bathrooms in the back only.
Let’s be real. You ride the train every day, very tniusdig the way u peek out of the corner of your eye. Or when u checkout the cover of magazines at the local shoprite. Now all of a sudden u need mechitzos.
Make men only urinals will get passangers in & out quickly, but women only & make men wait longer, asit is if you sit near enough after the meal the line is as long as the isle.
I think I might have heard from an Adom Gadol once who heard from his cat who read a sefer, that it is a Mitzva to have a Mechitza in the Bathroom (especially for Mile High Club Members)
I certainly don’t blame the women for wanting a clean bathroon. Men can be such pigs, and don’t care how disgusting they leave a bathroon.
I am a man, and I have taught my sons to sit down always so as to avoid getting it all over, which always happens. The bathrooms in my house are therefore much cleaner and do not smell. The only time I have taught them that they do not need to sit are when one is in a public bathroom with urinals.
I have seen some men in public bathrooms at a library not only avoid the urinals, but not even bother to lift the seat, and they make the bathrooms unusable for anyone else. A few basic midos would make the world a much more livable place.
Men need to realize once and for all that there is always some drip on the floor if they stand, and the next persons clothes will be soiled if he needs to sit. A little derech eretz please.
Great Idea! Should do it on all airlines!
It is common knowledge that women need more of these than men. This aspect of air travel is very unsatisfactory. But what to do about it is also a challenge.
Burich Atuh Sheloy usani Ishu……..