Have onboard showers become a thing of the past?
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Onboard showers were once the crown jewel of first-class amenities, but they’re no longer being offered and may never return.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced airlines to make some drastic changes to their route networks, fleet strategies and inflight services. While some changes are expected to be temporary, others, such as cutting onboard showers, may be longer lasting.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
There are two major airlines that have showers on their planes: Emirates and Etihad, both from the United Arab Emirates and both serving several destinations in the U.S. On both airlines, the showers are available exclusively on Airbus A380s. However, aside from a handful of jets going on occasional flights, every A380 in the world is currently grounded due to the precipitous drop in travel demand. Emirates has more than 100 A380s in its fleet and Etihad has 10.
Unlike Air France, both Emirates and Etihad have both said that they don’t plan on ditching their A380s and will gradually reintroduce them once international travel picks up again, though that decision could change at any time. And even once the A380s return to service, the onboard experience isn’t going to be the same.
Related: Will the Airbus A380 fly again once travel resumes?
As a part of its new sanitation standards and to reducing touch points, Emirates has said that it will indefinitely be closing down its onboard showers once the A380s return to service. “Every measure implemented is an additional reduction in risk, and taken altogether, our aim is really to make flying as safe as possible,” Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said in a statement. Cabin service attendants, who are usually responsible for looking after the showers, will now be deployed on all flights over 1.5 hours to ensure lavatories are cleaned at intervals of 45 minutes throughout the flight.
Emirates’ three-cabin A380s feature two shower suites, one on each side of the staircase at the front of the plane, on the upper deck. First-class passengers used to get five minutes of water time, but could reserve the shower suite for up to 30 minutes.
Related: The ultimate guide to Emirates first class
Etihad, on the other hand, hasn’t finalized its decision on this yet, but does hope to offer them again. “Currently, there is no plan to cease offering the dedicated shower room for First guests, or the private shower room in The Residence, when these aircraft take to the skies again. This service will however be subject to Etihad’s enhanced sanitization procedures and will follow all regulatory authority health and hygiene guidelines,” an Etihad spokesperson told TPG.
Like Emirates, Etihad’s A380s feature two onboard showers — one located at the front of the first class cabin and the other located inside of The Residence — and offer five minutes of water time. Realistically, we might see Etihad following Emirates’ lead with closing its showers shared between first class passengers, but continue offering them to Residence guests, since their showers are private.
Related: The ultimate guide to Etihad’s A380 first-class apartment
As disappointing as this might be for some passengers, it makes sense given the difficulty of fully disinfecting the shower suites in-flight between uses. Plus, onboard showers are costly for airlines as they require carrying auxiliary water. That costs fuel, and airlines are facing a cash crunch as a result of the pandemic.
Related: Emirates massively reduces fuel surcharges on award tickets
Onboard showers aren’t the only inflight amenities going away. For instance, Emirates will also be bidding adieu to its famous onboard business and first-class bars on A380s, at-seat snack baskets and reading material. In discussing recent inflight amenity cuts, airline analyst Henry Harteveldt, president at Atmosphere Research Group, told TPG that he believes that many of these changes are likely just temporary “until we have vaccines or ‘herd immunity,’” but there’s a decent chance that many more A380s will be retired by then.
Related video:
Featured image by Nick Ellis/The Points Guy.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.