When you think of the dirtiest place on a plane, the first answer is usually the bathroom. However, a flight attendant ensures that there is another point on board that deserves much more attention, and is well within reach of any passenger.
According to , the revelation was made by Danielle, a flight attendant, to Travel + Leisure magazine. According to the professional, the place that many passengers use without thinking twice can hide all types of dirt.
This is the bag located at the back of the front seat, normally used to store magazines, security cards, cell phones, books or other personal objects during the flight.
The place you should avoid touching
“The seat bag is one of the dirtiest places on the plane,” said Danielle, quoted by the same publication. The flight attendant explained that she has seen passengers put “everything” in this space.
Examples include used tissues and even dirty diapers. Therefore, the recommendation is simple: avoid touching that bag and, if you really have to, wash or disinfect your hands thoroughly afterwards.
The problem is also with cleaning between flights. According to the professional, these compartments are not always cleaned frequently enough, especially when the time between disembarking and re-boarding is short.
There isn’t always time to clean everything
According to Danielle, cleaning teams check for trash left behind by passengers, but they do not deep clean these pockets on every flight.
“Cleaning crews check for trash that flight attendants didn’t collect, but they don’t clean these bags unless there’s something extremely dirty, like something leaking,” he explained.
This means the compartment can accumulate germs and residue from multiple passengers throughout the day. For this reason, it is best to avoid placing objects there that you will later bring to your face, such as cell phones, glasses or headphones.
Places next to the bathroom are also avoided.
Another flight attendant, Catherine, also quoted by Travel + Leisure, revealed that there are places she never chooses when traveling as a passenger. The professional avoids sitting near the bathroom.
“I never choose a seat close to the bathroom, as it is noisy and generally has a bad smell, especially after a few hours of flight,” he said.
In addition to the discomfort caused by noise and odors, these seats tend to be busier, with passengers queuing up or moving around frequently during the flight.
There are precautions to be taken before boarding
Attention to hygiene should not just start inside the plane. Also at the airport there are heavily handled surfaces that can accumulate microbes, such as boxes and trays used in security control.
According to a study cited by Reader’s Digest, these trays are among the most contaminated surfaces at airports. Doctor Steven Goldberg reported that 50% of the boxes analyzed contained genetic material from respiratory viruses.
Therefore, there are objects that should not be placed directly in these boxes, especially those that come into contact with the face.
Avoid placing headphones directly on trays
Experts recommend paying special attention to phones and headphones. As they are close to the eyes, nose, mouth and ears, they can facilitate contact with germs if placed directly on contaminated surfaces.
The ideal is to keep them in your purse, backpack or in a clean coat pocket before going through security. The same care can apply to cell phones, glasses and other frequently used objects.
After touching seat pockets, safety trays or other frequently used surfaces, the recommendation remains: wash your hands thoroughly or use disinfectant. Small precautions can make a difference, especially on long trips or in periods of greater virus circulation.
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