Flight attendants reveal the two dirtiest places on plane to avoid
As part of a study conducted by travel insurance specialists AllClear, two former flight attendants have come clean about how dirty two areas on the plane are.
If you’re thinking about getting on a plane this summer, whether it’s for business or pleasure, you may want to think about refraining from using the seatback pocket and pulldown tray during your flight, because they are considered the “least sanitary parts of the plane” by industry insiders.
As part of a study conducted by travel insurance specialists AllClear, two former flight attendants have come clean about how dirty those two areas are.
It’s not hugely surprising, considering how many people move through the planes and touch what’s in front of them, but when the two flight attendants break down why they’re so unhygienic, it’s eye-opening.
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One ex-attendant said: “Sometimes dirty nappies and used sick bags would be left in seat pockets.
“Where possible, travelers should try to store snacks in resealable containers and sanitize their hands if they use the pockets."
Statistically, 3 in 10 passengers (30%) use the backseat pocket to store their snacks, which have a reputation for “rarely being cleaned,” according to the study.
A deep clean, which includes wiping down or sanitizing the pockets, is typically done only during a more comprehensive cabin cleaning, which can be as infrequent as once a month or even every few months, says the folks over at the Daily Passport.
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If the thought of dirty diaper residue rubbing off on your nibbles has scared you into never using the backseat pocket again, we don't blame you, but there’s still another area to discuss — the tray table.
We highly suggest you brace yourself, because the study reveals people not only use the tray for their belongings, but for their heads, in order to take naps.
Almost 1 in 5 travelers (19 percent) admitted to resting their heads directly on them without sanitizing first, based on the study’s findings.
One former flight attendant said: “Tray tables are probably among the most unsanitary parts [of the plane] – cleaners would often use the same cloth for every table.”
