NEXT time you go to the bathroom during a flight, you might need to keep an eye on the door – with a secret button which means it can be opened from the OUTSIDE.
Flight attendants and frequent travellers have revealed where this latch is found, as well as why it exists.
The button is located underneath the metal sign on the door which reads “lavatory”.
Underneath the flap will be a catch that, once turned, will turn the lock – meaning it can be opened from the outside.
However, it is unlikely to be used by other passengers and is mainly used for emergencies.
Crew are likely to get inside the toilet if someone is suffering from health problems, or if a child locks themselves in by accident.
Other travellers explained on Quora: “It’s not that they will do it unnecessarily, worry not.
“This feature is in place simply as a flight safety precaution.”
One flight attendant added that they will often only open it if someone is in there while the plane is landing: “When I was an FA, we would not open a lavatory door without knocking on the door and asking if you were alright.
“If that was not done in this case it must have been opened with the idea being there was not much time to waste as the descent had been announced.”
Others added that it also means flight crew can lock it from the outside when the plane is taking off and landing, to stop anyone using it – a much better use for it.
Plane bathrooms hide lots of other secrets too – Joselin Lora, who works as a cabin services worker for Delta, revealed the hidden cabinet you can open which has tissues and sanitary products in them.
And a Ryanair flight attendant recently revealed her biggest pet peeve when flying – which is passengers leaving the bathroom door open when leaving it.
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