Showering at 43,000 feet


When we heard that you can shower on the Emirates A380, we were fascinated. The Sydney Morning Herald just published a first-hand account of the showers.

Never before has a commercial airplane bathroom been equipped with a shower, and we’re okay with that. I mean, what, are we gonna share a communal shower with all the sketchy looking people in coach? With us? This isn’t a hostel in Berlin!

The SMH reporter Sarah Maguire headed into the “shower spa” and chose from the lotions and potions on display, stripped naked, and “got to it” — but the door wouldn’t shut and the water wouldn’t turn on, so she stepped out in a towel to ask for assistance. Embarrassing!

She was directed to try the other shower spa down the way, and had to sheepishly traipse through the “first class social area” half-naked to get there. This lead her to imagine even worse nightmares, like sliding down the emergency chute wet in a towel.

Maguire bravely made it to the other side, and said this of the shower spa:

“… it was warm and lovely and had commendable pressure. While the time limit is five minutes, you can spend 30 minutes in the bathroom, which is stocked with Timeless Spa products developed for Emirates by the German brand Babor. Two dedicated staff also service the shower area.”

The Emirates A380 flight from Sydney to Auckland is approximately three hours and first class, shower-eligible seats start at $2,028 Australian. The shower would probably be more useful on a longer flight, but we have to say, that’s pretty affordable for this novel luxury! Thrillseekers, add this to your list.

[via Sydney Morning Herald]

Silverjet Announces Women-only Bathrooms

Ladies, do you cringe at the thought of using the airplane bathroom mere moments after seeing a big burly man exit from it? Have you ever, while waiting next in line to use the loo, crossed your fingers and offered unquestioned loyalty to the divine figure of your choice if he/she will only guarantee that the person who emerges from the bathroom next is pretty-smelling and feminine? Yeah, me too. We get segregated washrooms in the airport … why not the airplane too?

Good news: Silverjet, a new-ish carrier that offers service between London’s Luton airport and New York’s Newark is offering women-only bathrooms on their trans-Atlantic flights. And they have the controversial commercial to prove it. And while I know that women can be just as gross as men, and though I never fly between New York and London, it’s just a teensy bit exciting to a gal like me. Will other airlines follow suit? Only time will tell.

It does, however, seem a bit sexist. I wonder what the male travelers have to say about it.