This Airline Provides Hands Free Toilet Doors

Illustration of Japanese airline ANA. (Wikimedia Commons / G B_NZ)

JAKARTA - Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) is testing innovations, which aim to make flights more hygienic and comfortable.

Yes, launching CNN, Friday, April 30, ANA plans that the bathroom door in its aircraft fleet can be opened by passengers without having to hold it with their hands directly.

The plan is for ANA to launch 21 aircraft equipped with redesigned bathroom doors on all domestic flights in Japan starting next week. They work by having mechanical springs that allow people to open the door with their elbows or forearms.

The prototype was created by ANA and JAMCO, a company that creates products for the aviation industry based in Japan, in the fall of 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Until now, the only place to try it was at the ANA lounge at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

It's not just the entrance that can be accessed without using hands. Once you're in the toilet, you can lock and unlock the door with the sliding button (and activate the light at the same time). There's also a handle so you can use your elbows to open the door from the inside.

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"We continue to invest in the development and implementation of innovative technologies, as the health and safety of our passengers and staff is a top priority," said ANA Senior Executive Vice President Shinichi Inoue.

"The hands-free toilet door is the latest example of us applying this principle," he added.

He further explained that if the implementation process goes well, this grip-free door is expected to be introduced in more airlines, including flights on international routes.

Although the chances of catching the virus while on an airplane are relatively low, the bathroom is one of the most germicidal places on an airplane.

The COVID-19 pandemic has airlines trying different approaches to clean air. Many airlines require passengers and flight crew to wear masks on board and prepare staff to wear full PPE. Also includes various countermeasures and countermeasures.

Thailand briefly banned food and beverage services, as well as newspapers and magazines, on domestic flights as a precaution. In China, the national aviation authority even advises flight attendants to wear diapers while working to reduce trips to the restroom. In the future, hands-free airplane doors are expected to serve as a substitute, providing comfort for passengers.