Welcome to All Nippon Airways. Please pee before boarding

All Nippon Airways has hit upon yet another way to cut down on weight, reduce carbon emissions and annoy the shit out of their passengers.

A Japanese airline has started asking passengers to go to the toilet before boarding in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) claims that empty bladders mean lighter passengers, a lighter aircraft and thus lower fuel use.

Airline staff will be present at boarding gates in terminals to ask passengers waiting to fly to relieve themselves before boarding, The Independent reported.

Here's something you can take to the bank: If a company asks its customers or employees to do something for the sake of the environment, you can bet your first-born child that the environment is the last thing on their minds.

How many times have you stayed at a hotel where there's a card in the bathroom inviting you to hang your towel up if you wish to reuse it? There's always some environmentally conscious message on the card along with an environmentally inspiring nature picture. The impact to the environment of washing those towels is negligible, but the money saved by washing a few thousand less towels a day system-wide is considerable.

What ANA is doing here is more of the same. An airplane relieved of 100 or so pounds of piss isn't going to consume a lot less fuel, but the lavatory servicing costs are sure going to be lower.

Hat tip to AB for e-mailing me this one.