DOT announces rule to make airplane bathrooms more accessible

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is attempting to make bathrooms on airplanes more accessible.

The department announced a rule Wednesday requiring new single-aisle aircraft to have fully accessible lavatories. The department said it is making the change due to airlines’ increasing use of these aircraft for longer flights because of their improved “fuel efficiency and range” over time.

“This final rule is intended to ensure that our air transportation system is safe and accessible to individuals with disabilities,” a statement by the DOT read. “This rulemaking requires airlines to make lavatories on new single-aisle aircraft large enough to permit a passenger with a disability and an attendant, both equivalent in size to a 95th percentile male, to approach, enter, and maneuver within as necessary to use the aircraft lavatory.”

The DOT said while accessible lavatories have been “required on twin-aisle aircraft” for decades, the change “is necessary because the private marketplace has not met this basic need for accessible lavatories.”

It cited statistics showing inaccessible lavatories being a reason behind why many disabled passengers don’t fly “unless absolutely necessary.”

“The inability to safely access and use the lavatory on long flights can impact the dignity of passengers with disabilities and deter them from traveling by air, limiting their independence and freedom to travel,” the DOT said. “This final rule addresses a human rights issue and promotes freedom to travel for people with disabilities.”