Continence experts demand clarity over Ryanair's toilet proposals

NR/2010   
Issued 9 June 2010                                                        

Continence experts demand clarity over Ryanair’s toilet proposals

Some of the UKs leading Continence experts, surgeons, nurses and patient groups have expressed their concerns at Ryanair’s proposals to reduce the number of toilets on board their aircrafts and to charge passengers to use them. Clarity is called for in light of the contradictory stories running in the press.

Professor Cardozo, Professor of Urogynaecology at Kings College Hospital, London, and member of the United Kingdom Continence Society (UKCS) said “If these proposals go ahead they will discriminate in an almost cruel way against the many silent sufferers of these distressing conditions.”  

Bladder and bowel problems are more common than asthma, diabetes, hypertension and arthritis and affect a large number of people. They are often provoked by anxiety with many sufferers having to know where all the toilets are in a particular area. Due to embarrassment many people keep their condition a secret, even from partners and loved ones, and do not seek help for such conditions, but for those that do the treatments can be very effective.

“Many people get particularly anxious when flying, knowing that there is only one toilet will make flying impossible for many people who suffer with continence problems. There is also a major added health risk of DVT (deep vein thrombosis), and as it is recommended that passengers keep well hydrated, this will further exacerbate their bladder problem.” Prof Cardozo added.                                                                                                           

Reducing access to toilet facilities on aircraft also raises concerns that many people with bladder and bowel problems will fail to ‘hold on’ and reach the toilet in time resulting in embarrassing incontinence and distress for them and people in nearby seats.

Professor Cardozo concluded “Clearly the company has not given the issue of bladder and bowel problems any consideration. Stephen McNamara of Ryanair has been quoted as saying ‘by charging for the toilets we are hoping to change passenger behaviour so that they use the bathroom before or after the flight’. Unfortunately for one in four people within the UK, the urgent and frequent use of a toilet is a necessity and not an adopted behaviour. That’s why we’re voicing our objections and calling for reassurance in the strongest possible terms.” she said.

“If these proposals are to be adopted in the future, then we should all be extremely concerned that this could be just the tip of the iceberg with other airlines potentially following this cost cutting trend.” 

Editors Notes:

Signed on behalf of the following organisations:  

The United Kingdom Continence Society - www.ukcs.uk.net
The Bladder and Bowel Foundation (B&BF) - www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org
Age UK www.AgeUK.org.uk
The British Toilet Association www.britloos.co.uk
The Gut Trust www.theguttrust.org
The British Association of Colorectal Surgeons of the UK and Ireland -www.acpgbi.org.uk/
The British Society of Urogynaecology www.bsug.net
The British Association of Urological Surgeons Female Section of Urology www.baus.org.uk
The Association for Continence Advice www.aca.uk.com
AHPMA www.ahpma.co.uk

Reference¹ - BS Buckley PhD, MCM Lapitan MD; B&BF Prevalence Research published April 2009

Ends.                                                                                                                          

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