Cross your legs! Ryanair's latest plan is to remove aircraft toilets

How long will be the queue for the loo? PA

First they were going to charge us for going to the loo. But now Ryanair's Michael O'Leary has come up with another plan for passengers: remove most of the toilets.

Yes, Europe's biggest airline is pressing ahead with plans to remove two of the three toilets on each of its aircraft and replace them with seats.

The proposal will mean that there will be just one toilet between more than 200 people. It recently abandoned plans to charge passengers for using on-board toilets.

Michaeal O'Leary, the airline's chief executive, told The Independent that the move would lower air fares by about five percent for all passengers, cutting £2 from a typical £40 ticket.

Ryanair's Boeing 737-800 aircraft are fitted with 189 seats, the maximum permitted under current rules.

"We're trying to push Boeing to re-certify the aircraft for six more seats, particularly for short-haul flights," said Mr O'Leary. "We very rarely use all three toilets on board our aircraft anyway."

There is no legal stipulation for an airline to provide toilets on its aircraft. Ryanair's longest route between Rhodes and Liverpool takes 4 hours 25 minutes.

A spokesman for ABTA, the travel association, called the move a "step too far" in Ryanair's mission to provide a totally no-frills service.

%Poll-69789%

Aviation expert, John Strickland, believed soaring oil costs could accelerate airlines' attempts to reduce costs, as having six more seats on the aircraft would reduce the cost per seat.

The Ryanair boss says he will continue to charge an "administration fee" of £6 per person per flight, which is only avoidable by paying with its Cash Passport.

The Office of Fair Trading is investigating a "super-complaint" by the Consumers' Association into charges by low-cost airlines and excessive card fees.

%VIRTUAL-Gallery-125386%