Mile High Club: All The Places You DON’T Want To Touch On An Airplane

If you’re like me, you’re not quite a germaphobe, but you’re pretty cautious about touching things in public. Also if you’re like me, you travel a lot, and have probably caught a cold or two from being cooped up in an airplane with sick strangers.

What’s floating around in the air isn’t the only thing you have to worry about on an airplane, however. Neither are the lavatories. There are a ton of icky things lurking around and a  few flight attendants took to Reddit to dish on it.

One flight attendant spilled the tea on the tray tables. Apparently they’re filthy. “Tray tables are rarely if ever sanitized do not put food directly on them,” said the FA.

Another flight attendant chimed in, warning passengers not to get comfortable enough to take their shoes off. “My last flight an elderly man accidentally shit on the floor, stepped in it, and walked on like it was nothing. DO NOT WALK AROUND BAREFOOT. Pee and poop happens, all over. I feel like I witness an “accident” regularly; in their seat or in the lav. People get nose bleeds, or their wounds open. Obviously when we land, it is thoroughly cleaned. But inflight our resources are limited.” She also warned not to change your baby’s diaper on the tray table at your seat. Who would have thought people really did that?

Did you know that bodily fluids of the deceased can end up on your luggage? One Reddit user says, “I’m not a flight attendant but I work the ramp. To elaborate on the body parts we send full bodies on planes a lot. Some in caskets some not. Twice in the 7 years I’ve been doing this has “fluid” leaked out of the boxes the bodies are in and got all over the luggage.”

An airline worker also urged people NOT to drink the water on a flight . “Do not EVER drink water on an aircraft that did not come from a bottle,” he said. “Don’t even TOUCH IT. The reason being the ports to purge lavatory sh*t and refill the aircraft with potable water are within feet from each other and sometimes serviced all at once by the same guy.”  Gross! This means you should probably skip the coffee and tea also.

Also, when on your flights, bring a wet wipe to wipe down your belt buckle, arm rest and even the remote controls.  One passenger writes, “On a Delta flight a few months ago, I sat down and my seat belt felt wet. I smelled my hands…and vomit. I asked the flight attendant if someone had thrown up in the seat before me, and she said “I’m sorry, I watched them clean it up three times.” Disgusted, I asked for a different seat – nope, full flight.”

Of course, don’t let this change your mind about traveling. Just make sure to keep some disinfectant on hand.