Maybe you’re settled into your airplane seat, sipping on a soda or a cold water while trying to finish that thriller. Or perhaps you’ve finally managed to drift off into a light nap.
But for some, the flight experience is a nightmare of a different kind: The Bathroom Queue.
You’re standing in the aisle, shifting your weight, needing to go badly. The “Occupied” sign remains a stubborn, glowing red. Ten minutes pass. Twenty. Thirty. You have absolutely no idea what is happening behind that folding door. Is it a medical emergency? An epic bout of turbulence-induced motion sickness?
When the door finally opens after nearly an hour, and you discover the truth, the only question is: They did WHAT? How is that even possible?
The Plane Lavatory 5K That Took Everyone By Surprise
Content creator and running enthusiast Dom Stroh recently ignited a firestorm on social media after posting a video that has racked up millions of views.
While on an 11-hour long-haul flight, Stroh geared up and headed to the lavatory – not for the usual reasons, but to get his steps in. The footage shows him in the claustrophobic confines of the airplane bathroom, starting his smartwatch – and the Strava app, and then repeatedly:
- Running in tiny circles.
- Stepping up onto the closed toilet seat.
- Turning and stepping back down.
He kept this up until his watch clocked a full 5:53 kilometers (approximately 3.44 miles). In a space barely large enough to turn around in, he turned a public utility into a private gymnasium for nearly an hour (59m:32s).
And yes, you read that correctly – 1 hour to run in the lavatory. One thing in particular made me cringe when I watched the footage.
He was stepping on the toilet.
Inside a plane lavatory.
That is a big NO in my opinion. As is keeping a bathroom occupied for one hour!
Beyond the ‘ick’ factor, there’s a serious hygiene issue here. Studies have shown that airplane bathrooms are hotbeds for bacteria like E. coli and MRSA. By stepping on the seat and then back onto the floor – and touching the walls for balance – he’s essentially circulating high-altitude germs in a way a quick hand-wash can’t fix.
On most wide-body long-haul aircraft, a single lavatory may serve dozens of passengers. While planes typically have several bathrooms, queues are common on long flights, especially after meal service. Occupying one for nearly an hour is unusual and would almost certainly leave other passengers waiting.
The Internet Reaction: “You Cannot Be Serious”
As you might expect, the video sparked a flood of reactions online.
Some people found the whole thing absurdly funny. Others were completely horrified.
Many simply couldn’t believe someone would do this on a commercial flight.
Here are some of the reactions circulating online.
Confusion and disbelief
Some viewers simply struggled to process what they had just seen.
“Are you okay?”
“You cannot be serious 🤣”
“But why 😭”
“Wtf”
“Sad”
“Haha no way”
Many comments were variations of the same question:
“But why 😭”
People imagining the bathroom line
Others immediately pictured the passengers waiting outside the lavatory.
And the comments were brutal.
“so thats why the wait is so long for wc 😅”
There were many comments like this, imagining the growing queue outside the bathroom door.
One particularly memorable reaction summed up the situation perfectly:
“pooped myself in the queue outside mate thanks. 🙄”
Apparently, several comments joked about exactly that scenario.
The “This is ridiculous but hilarious” crowd
Some viewers admitted the stunt was both ridiculous and weirdly entertaining.
“This is sooooo dumb and hilarious at the same time😭”
“We go way too far with Strava 😭”
“Anything to keep those steps up i guess 💔”
Pure outrage
And then there were the people who were not amused at all.
“get a grip!!”
“This isn’t what mile high club means!”
“It’s official everyone has gone wild”
“They’d close my account if I said what I think”
One comment summed up the absurdity of the situation perfectly:
“meanwhile captain: dear passengers, please keep your seatbelts fastened as we are experiencing sudden turbulence.”
Is Flying Etiquette Dead?
The “Bathroom 5K” isn’t an isolated incident of bizarre behavior. It seems that lately, the sky has become a frontier for social media stunts and debates over flying etiquette.
Because many of these acts aren’t “explicitly banned,” passengers are pushing the boundaries of what is socially acceptable.
The Pajama Ban Backlash
Recently, Tampa International Airport faced a massive social media backlash after a post regarding airport pajama etiquette went viral, sparking a heated debate on whether comfort should trump decorum.
The Seat Reclining War
The age-old battle of the reclined seat continues to cause mid-air skirmishes, with passengers divided on whether it’s a right or a rude intrusion.
Culinary Stunts
From the passenger who “made pasta” on a plane (largely for the views) to the questionable TikTok sleep hack that involve tying yourself to the seat, the quest for “viral content” is making flying increasingly strange.
The Cost of Bad Behavior
The authorities are starting to push back. We’ve seen unruly passengers fined upwards of $25,000, and with more fines on the way, the era of the “anything goes” influencer stunt might be coming to a costly end. Airlines are increasingly adopting a zero-tolerance policy for ‘disruptive passenger behavior.’ While running isn’t ‘assault,’ hoarding a public resource (the lavatory) for non-essential use could arguably fall under ‘interfering with crew member duties’ if a line becomes a safety hazard in the aisle.
Whether it’s the debate over seating assignments or carry-on luggage size dramas at the boarding gate, one thing is certain: a little bit of empathy goes a long way when you’re trapped in a metal tube.
Can You Actually Work Out on a Plane?
Light stretching during long flights is often recommended to improve circulation, especially on trips lasting several hours. But airline crews generally expect passengers to perform exercises near their seats or in designated areas – not inside shared facilities like lavatories.
For reference, the account where I saw the video is this https://www.tiktok.com/@dom.stroh and the video is
@dom.stroh
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