A Bidet May Be Coming to an Airplane Bathroom Near You
There are lots of neat seats on display at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg this week, ranging from razor-narrow sled seats to comfy armchairs, and even full beds, but the throne has gotten little attention in the cabin — or at least so it would seem.
Zodiac Aerospace, one of the giant’s of the cabin interiors components manufacturers, has now upgraded its most advanced, easy-maintenance toilet to include a variety of programmable bidet functions and even special disinfectant UV lighting.
By adding an adjustable and retracting water spout element to the back of Zodiac’s existing easy-maintenance toilet the company converts the ordinary flying lav into a luxury loo.
Zodiac Aerospace will offer the new bidet-model with alternative water settings that might appeal around the world. Some will offer front and back spritzer washing, and others will be more like running fountains. Airlines may select the function according to preferences in their local markets.
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Zodiac Aerospace expects these new aircraft toilet features to appeal primarily to Middle Eastern and Asian airlines who fly passenger that are more accustomed to bidet-function toilets in their daily lives.
When fully assembled, the new Zodiac Aerospace bidet will look very much like an ordinary plane toilet on the outside, but passengers will be able to control operation from a remote control panel on the lavatory wall. There will also be an LED lighting option available that would use UV light to fully disinfect the toilet between uses.
Bidets on planes are not entirely new. They have been a feature on luxury private jets for a while — and can come with enough programmable features to require a users manual — but it is only now that the technology to offer a cleansing in a commercial aircraft toilet is available.
Since showers on planes are a very rare and a very expensive luxury, a nice bidet spritzer might do the trick to make long, long, long-haul flying far more pleasant.
No word from Zodiac on which airline might be first to bring this technology onboard, but we hope at least one sees bidet on display at the show and gets fresh ideas for better onboard service.
