News and notes from around the interweb:
- Man buys Boeing 747, puts it in his back yard
- How Tokyo Haneda stays the cleanest airport in the world
- Lower travel costs boost scientific collaboration
- 1000 free Aeroplan miles for new members with first miles earned.
- Shrinking airline lavatories are spreading. I still single out American Airlines for their plan to retrofit their entire narrowbody fleet – removing standard lavatories and replacing them with small ones to squeeze in more seats. The airline suggests they had no choice, Boeing made them take the smaller lavs in their 737 MAXs. Boeing isn’t forcing them to rip old larger lavs from existing Boeing and Airbus planes though.
- Saudia may buy a bunch of Boeing 777X aircraft helping to offset Boeing’s losing deliveries of aircraft that had been ordered by Iran Air. Saudi Arabia supported the US’s move to decertify Iranian compliance with the nuclear agreement.
- World’s largest vertical farm will feed Emirates passengers taking up less space and less water than traditional farming.
Candidly, the article you cite would suggest that your repeated criticism of AA regarding the lav issue is extremely unfair. They didn’t pioneer the smaller lav, and they’ve got plenty of company in deploying it. Also, there’s little evidence that the smaller lav TRULY inconveniences pax. Of course, everyone would prefer a bigger lav, just like they’d prefer a bigger seat, but would they actually be willing to pay for it?
@chopsticks
For a $10 savings I would accept chamber pot under my seat in lieu of a lav
I would also accept a 75% devaluation of my Aadvantage miles. Oh wait, I already got that.
I don’t understand why AS gets a pass in terms of the micro lavatories on the new 737s. They’ve been consistently implementing exactly the same thing, and it sucks. They’ve reduced the “Premium” economy seat experience to a one drink on the single time the FAs drop by, and a package of two fig bars. This isn’t just an American problem.
Just flew a Delta 737-900 and 737-800 this past week. Both had micro sized lavatories. A guy can do his thing, but I don’t know how most women would be able to turn and drop and pull up their pants. Larger people should be informed about the aircraft’s lavatory size before boarding.