Summary
- Lufthansa operates the A340-600 with unique downstairs lavatories for maximum space utilization.
- The A340-600 offers an extensive lower deck space, which allows Lufthansa to create downstairs toilet areas.
- Other carriers, like Airtours International Airways, also utilized downstairs areas on the A340 and A330.
The Airbus A340 was once a mainstay of international long-haul fleets worldwide but has slowly disappeared over the years, with only a handful of operators still keeping the jet in service. One of the most noteworthy is German flag carrier Lufthansa, which continues to operate multiple variants of the popular four-engine jet, even as other operators have phased out the aircraft in favor of more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft.
Notably, the airline operates the Airbus A340-600, the world’s second-longest passenger aircraft, on several different international routes. However, the carrier’s A340-600s do stand out from most other modern passenger widebodies in a few distinct ways, primarily due to their creative use of space.
While most passenger airlines reserve the lower deck exclusively for air cargo, Lufthansa configures this area with lavatories, allowing passengers to pass down a flight of stairs to use the restroom. In this article, we will examine exactly how the airline chooses to operate this bizarre restroom setup.
The largest Airbus A340 variant
This stretched-fuselage version of the long-range A340 was the longest passenger aircraft in the world before Boeing launched the 747-8. It has a range of 7,800 nautical miles (14,450 km) and can carry 320–370 passengers across three classes (or 475 in all-economy). In fact, the plane was designed to be the largest-capacity Airbus model before the A380 came to the market.
Photo: Lukas Wunderlich / Shutterstock
Owing to the aircraft’s larger size, it has a lot of space on its main (passenger) and lower (cargo) decks. Indeed, at its cargo level, the A340-600 offers an impressive 201.7 cubic meters of space, according to One Mile At A Time. As this figure is 50 cubic meters more than other variants, like the A340-500, operators might struggle to find uses for this space, prompting some to find creative uses for this often-underutilized area.
For dedicated cargo operators, however, this space provides impressive opportunities. According to manufacturer Airbus, the jet offers the following cargo performance specifications:
Category: |
A340-600 Specification: |
---|---|
LD3 underfloor capacity: |
43 |
Max cargo pallets: |
14 |
Water volume: |
268 cubic meters |
Why Lufthansa has toilets in the cargo hold
With all that space in the cargo hold, Lufthansa was faced with a choice. One option was to fill it with cargo for each flight. However, with so much capacity, this could potentially leave unsold space. Alternatively, it could move the toilets downstairs and place more economy class seats where the toilets were.
Photo: BUI LE MANH HUNG / Shutterstock
Aircraft require a set number of toilets per seat capacity and are almost always placed on the main deck. However, Lufthansa saw the chance to ditch the bathrooms in the economy and swap it out for a downstairs area instead, increasing available seat room. All five premium economy and economy toilets are down here!
However, the space is big enough for more than just a lavatory. There is also an extra galley for food and beverages, allowing the crew to prepare food and drink without disturbing passengers in usually nearby rows. Of course, carrying these carts up and down each time is impossible, so there’s even a small elevator to bring them up!
During the flight, Lufthansa stations a flight attendant in the galley next to the bathrooms, which is essential given the number of passengers going up and down throughout the flight. The crew ensures that passengers are taken care of and keeps them safe and secure in the event of an emergency. The downstairs space has a maximum limit of ten passengers, as it only has this many oxygen masks.
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Not the only airline
Lufthansa wasn’t the only carrier taking advantage of Airbus’s additional cargo bay capacity. The A340 was similarly not the only aircraft capable of leveraging the cargo bay, with the A330 also able to use some space below. This proved popular among a few tour operators, who focus on leisure travel rather than regular cargo contracts.
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Where does it all go, and why is it so loud?
Airtours International Airways, a British operator, took advantage of the setup, according to InfiniteFlight. The carrier eventually merged with Thomas Cook, and the three A330-200s followed suit (G-MDBD/-MLJL/-OMYT), which saw it fly with the travel firm and sublease out to Garuda Indonesia and others.
Photo: E.R. Images / Shutterstock
Pictured above, all three aircraft were parked when Thomas Cook went bankrupt in 2019. Sadly, that marked the end of downstairs toilets on twin-engine aircraft, with other operators using the full cargo capacity instead.
After a chance that they would be retired during the pandemic, along with the A380, Lufthansa brought back the A340-600 as demand returned. Today, the airline operates 10 of these impressively large jets, giving passengers a comfortable ride and a chance to enjoy a downstairs bathroom! However, these jets will soon be phased out as new Boeing 787s and A350s join the fleet.
Other unorthodox toilet locations
Other aircraft, like the Lockheed L-1011 ‘TriStar,’ could turn the forward cargo area into a downstairs boarding lounge with a door and stairs. This allowed passengers to arrive at the airport, walk to the plane, and board directly from the ground. They could then enjoy refreshments before taking their seats upstairs.
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While on the subject of unorthodox toilet setups, the Lockheed TriStar is also worthy of note in this area. Indeed, as Simple Flying explored in greater detail, this aircraft’s lavatories were arranged in a semicircular pattern at the rear of the aircraft. They were located right beneath the air intake for the middle engine, which made for very noisy bathroom trips!
What do you think? Did you ever use the downstairs bathroom on the Lufthansa A340? Let us know in the comment section.