USATODAY.com – Today In the Sky: Archives — This, to me, proves that the Chinese have ben invaded by bean-counting accountants. This is ridiculous.

The airline industry’s efforts to cut costs at every corner has crossed a new line. The latest report comes from China, where China Southern is urging customers to use the bathroom before boarding their flights, Reuters reports, citing a report from China’s Xinhua news agency. The effort isn’t part an effort to reduce the weight of fliers, but rather an attempt to reduce the amount of fuel it takes to power the flush of airline toilet at 30,000 feet. China Southern calculates that such a flush uses about a liter of fuel –- or the equivalent of about a quarter of a gallon.

You can save even more money by taking the toilets out. How is that for an idea? Or wait. Better yet think of how much money would be saved if there were no people actually on board the plane!

found by Greg Glockner



  1. Curmudgen says:

    Attention Passengers

    We will be serving beverages shortly but keep in mind,

    Coffee, tea, but no Pee !!

  2. Ben Drinkin says:

    Can you carry on an empty mayonnaise jar?

  3. JimR says:

    They’re going to save a shitload of money!

  4. Roger M says:

    The airsickness bags are being reinforced to accommodate men’s immediate leek urges.
    The fellow passengers are asked to look away. Please.

  5. JimR says:

    Think about the technology it takes to put a 900,000 lb jet (fully loaded) with over 500 people aboard, safely into the sky and fly them up to 5000 miles at over 500 miles per hour… and they can’t figure out how to flush a toilet without using a friggen litre of fuel.

  6. JimR says:

    Now that I think about it, that scares the shit out of me.

  7. JimR says:

    …Now that I think about it, that scares the shit out of me.

  8. Mark Derail says:

    Talk about waste management!

    There must be a better way to design airborne loo’s.

    Just one 3hr plane flight is enough fuel to power my car a couple of weeks. There are thousands of flights per day.

    I’m so crapped over this.

  9. Roger M says:

    #6, 7
    that scares the shit out of me
    Good thing you’re not on an airplane 😀

  10. Arbo Cide says:

    Why are you complaining about this? It saves fuel, which means it reduces global warming. Anything that reduces global warming need to be encouraged. People should be willing to make such sacrifices to save the planet.

  11. bill says:

    Open a freaking hole in the floor. They won’t notice the difference.

  12. Mucous says:

    #10 – You’re right, fuel causes Global Warming (TM) .

    One problem: some of us are looking forward to Global Warming (TM). Also, sacrifice what you want, but don’t tell me what I’m supposed to sacrifice – that’s my choice. It’s especially silly to sacrifice for something unproven.

    On the other hand, less jet fuel spent mean more gasoline for my truck.

    Choices, choices, just don’t know….dammit, now you’ve got me waffling like a politician.

    Oh, yeah – on the original subject: just put the public pooping section of the plane next to the public breast feeding section.

  13. Mark says:

    Common sense to use the bathroom before the flight, but I dont think people going to the bathroom during flight do so because its an adventure. Its probably a necessity. I’d rather see them cut down on the stupid snack cart on 3 hour flights, running the stupid cart into my shoulder (I’m a pretty big guy) 10 times a flight.

  14. JimR says:

    China Southern calculates that such a flush uses about a liter of fuel –- or the equivalent of about a quarter of a gallon.”

    Times up. I’ll ask it then…
    Why aren’t the numbnuts using water to flush the toilet?

  15. Mark Derail says:

    I’m outraged of finding out that the airplane loo’s use a liter of fuel, probably jet fuel too, for every flush.

    #10, It’s not the China flights I’m crying over, it’s the North American flights! I’m glad China is asking the public to save fuel and thus CO emissions.

    Out of over 30 flights in NA, I think I only used the loo twice, in those Toronto-San Diego flights (6+ hours).

    I’ve always done my deposits before and after, because I’m no longer the 30 inch waist I was when I married 16 yrs ago.

    Size constriction, and the intellectual knowledge of knowing that a sudden air pocket car render you and said deposits weightless – it just takes half a second – to create a nightmare situation.

  16. ECA says:

    Daddy, I need to go to the bathroom…
    i told you to go, before you got in the car..
    But Daddy, we bought that coke…

  17. ECA says:

    8,
    we are talking baout an aircraft that uses, something like, 1 gallon per minute… And that would last you 1-2 weeks??
    I think that would last me about 1 year…

  18. Frequent Flyer says:

    I don’t see what the fuss is about. I always use those handy bags they store in the seat-back pouch. They’re plastic lined, and hold a surprising volume of solids AND liquids.

    The best thing is that with the tray table down, there’s no need even to leave your seat.

  19. Roc Rizzo says:

    Just get up in the aisle and pee!

  20. Mr. Fusion says:

    I would really like to see the accounting that calculated it takes one liter of fuel to flush.

  21. Forget about the bean counters it makes sense to drain the monster before boarding the plane.
    A can’t imagine anyone enjoy entering the toilet closet aiming for the silver bowl while your bounces up and down sky high.

  22. Reality says:

    Come on…this is stupid. Someone is going to have to go and what’s going to happen then? You piss your pant or shit your jeans all for what? Nobody has any common sense anymore.

  23. Paul says:

    Please don’t let Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary get wind of this one, or he’ll install new 2-euro-operated locks on the washroom doors of his 737s.

  24. Simon says:

    Why dont they use a vacuum to remove waste, you know like in the movies when someone opens a door in flight and everyone gets sucked out.

    Now do this with the toilet only and you have a natural flushing system, just ask patrons to rise before flushing (or you will be “Soul Planed”)


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