Captain Steeeve shares real reason passengers can’t use plane toilet before takeoff

Let’s face it, no one wants to take a dump on a plane - but when nature calls and the ‘stay in your seat’ announcement is made, what do you do?

Even if you only need a pee, a former pilot has revealed why ‘the most dangerous time of a flight is actually during taxiing’.

Ex American Airlines pilot Steve Scheibner, known as Captain Steeeve online (@captainsteeeve), explained during a TikTok Q&A ‘why you can't pee while the plane is stationary on the ground’.

“Well, LAX tie 23, because if you get up to go to the bathroom, everybody else is going to have to get up and go to the bathroom and we're taxiing on an active runway or taxiway,” he said.

“And one of the most dangerous times of flight is actually during taxiing because if I have to hit the brakes and you're standing up in the aisle, you're going to fall, you're going to hit your head on something.”

He said that ‘If you're in the bathroom, good things are not going to happen in there’.

“Have I had people get up and have to go use the bathroom? Yes, sometimes nature calls and you can't hold it off anymore,” he continued.

“Usually we have to stop right there until that person comes out of the bathroom, goes back to their seat before we're allowed to taxi again. It holds up the entire airport. It's really a hassle when that happens.”

Are the rules the same in the UK?

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the statutory national body that oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation, previously told Metro why ‘passengers must be seated and secured with a safety belt for taxi, take-off and landing’.

“Cabin crew can use their discretion whether they allow passengers to use the toilet before the aircraft begins taxiing to the runway,” the travel body explained.

“There are no specific rules preventing passengers using the toilet before take-off.

“Most airlines are keen to ensure passengers are in their seats with seat belts secured to speed up departure.

“The aircraft cannot begin to taxi until everyone is seated and secured with a seat belt.”

Ryanair also said to the outlet that they do not stop passengers from using the loo pre-takeoff.

“Customers are free to use the toilet during boarding before take-off, however, they must remain seated when the seat belt sign is illuminated for safety reasons,” they said.

The worst time to go to the loo on a flight

Speaking to bathroom specialists, Sanctuary Bathrooms, a cabin crew member who previously worked for a major airline, revealed that the ‘worst time to use the aeroplane loo is right before take-off and at the very end of a flight, especially if it's long-haul’.

This is because these two times of the flight usually see the most use of the toilet facilities and therefore will end up being the most dirty.

The flight attendant also advised that it's best to go to the toilet before food is even served.

They revealed: "Plane food is not nutritious. It can be oily and high in salt and fat; things that don't tend to be great for gut health or bowel movements.

"If a meal isn't sitting right with a passenger and they need to use the loo because of it, you don't want to be in there straight after."