When you gotta go, you gotta go–even at 30,000 feet. The alarming noise ensues when you press the “flush” button in an airplane toilet and the bowl’s contents are magically sucked away into oblivion.

Hikers, campers and outdoor enthusiasts come across waterless toilet solutions like outhouses (also known as pit toilets) and composting toilets at trailheads and campgrounds across America’s public ...

Instead of using water, airplane toilets use a vacuum mechanism to suck waste into a holding tank. The toilet system is safe to use while seated, as it is specifically tested that way. Avoid flushing ...