Sitting amongst strangers in a confined space for any amount of time just feels like a breeding ground for illness. But how well are these aircrafts being cleaned? The answer may make you pack your own sanitizing wipes ahead of your next flight.
By Kelly Bryant, Reader's Digest
Seatbelt buckles
Unless you ask the person sitting next to you to buckle your seatbelt (which we don’t recommend) you’re going to touch that piece of metal at least twice during a flight, once before takeoff, and once when you land. Unfortunately, these oft-used items aren’t getting the spick and span treatment you’d like. According to Travelmath, the average airplane seatbelt buckle tested for 230 colony-forming units (CFU) per square inch. Find out the 13 things hotels aren’t cleaning as well as they should either.
Seatback pockets
That slim seatback pocket looks innocent enough at first glance. After all, it holds your passenger safety information and the Skymall catalog. But the cloth that covers it isn’t getting much attention from cabin cleaners. According to a study conducted at Auburn University, the pocket is pretty darn disgusting. Seeing as passengers often stuff trash in that pocket (think used tissues and dirty diapers), it sees its fair share of bacteria. In fact, their study showed that the germs found in this location survived the longest out of any surface on an airplane at around seven days. This is just one of the many things airlines aren’t likely to tell you before you board a flight.
Tray tables
Cabin cleaners only do a speedy wipe down of airplanes in between flights because they simply aren’t given enough time to do more during these quick turnovers. Believe it or not, tray tables aren’t typically among the surfaces that get cleaned between domestic flights, according to the Wall Street Journal. They typically are only addressed during overnight cleanings. Airlines aren’t the only offenders; these are the 10 things restaurants aren’t cleaning enough.
Headrest
A different study of airline hygiene conducted by Marketplace and analyzed in a laboratory at the University of Guelph cited a different surface as being the most bacteria-laden—the headrest. According to their study, the “highest total aerobic count, hemolytic bacteria, and E.coli” were found here. The headrest is nearly impossible to avoid unless you bring something to slip over it, which makes sense that it would come into contact with the most germs. If you want your next flight to be a healthy one, check out these tips from smart travelers.
Blankets
Complimentary blankets are pretty much a thing of the past among airlines these days, particularly in economy class, and that might just be a good thing. Back in 2008, the Wall Street Journal revealed that these once common airplane items were only washed every five to 30 days. When flying, BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket).
The floor
A quick vacuum job in between flights does not a clean carpet make, especially when you have hundreds of pairs of shoes traipsing up and down the aisles of an airplane day-in and day-out. According to an article in USA Today, cleanliness isn’t regulated by the FAA. It’s standard that a plane goes through a deep clean about once a month and perhaps then that carpeting will get extra attention. Even so, it’s best to steer clear of placing your belongings on the floor if you can help it. Once you’ve reached your destination, here’s how to have a healthy and clean hotel stay.
Bathroom surfaces
Yes, cabin cleaners do a wipe down of lavatories after an aircraft’s passengers have deplaned, but think about how many folks use the facilities during the flight and how many hours go by before that cleaning happens. In an interview with TIME, University of Arizona microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba said, “It’s hard to beat the restroom because the water shuts off so people can’t complete hand washing. The sinks are so small that people with large hands can’t even fit them fully underneath the faucets.”
Menus/safety information pamphlets
We’ve already addressed the icky stuff that often contaminates seatback pockets, but consider the material that’s actually supposed to be in this area. With barely ten to 15 minutes to tidy a cabin, according to the New York Times, cleaners don’t have time to wipe down every menu and safety pamphlet in those pockets. When you consider how often they are touched by human hands (and the garbage that gets tossed into the pockets), this literature is a breeding ground for gross. If you want to brush up on your travel etiquette, never do these things on an airplane.
Overhead air vent
Adjusting that overhead air vent is something most passengers do to personalize their limited space for comfort, but who is cleaning that surface? Likely no one. It’s one of the dirtiest spots on an airplane according to Travelmath. What’s even more troubling is that airlines like British Airways have actually experimented with skipping the between-flight cleanings entirely. Fortunately, according to The Points Guy, that trial is over.
Aisle seats
All airline seats need regular cleanings, but aisle seats could really use some extra attention that they simply aren’t getting. Why? As passengers walk to and from the bathroom they typically put their hands on the tops of the aisle seats to steady themselves. The bacteria and germs from those hands, particularly after using the lavatory, is left behind. In a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, a team of researchers found that passengers sitting in aisle seats were more likely to catch the stomach flu (or norovirus) than those sitting in middle or window seats. Know before you go: This is the airline with the worst reputation in America.
