Travel Tip: 3 of the Dirtiest Places on Planes Are at Your Seat
Yesterday I was reminded once again how dirty planes can be. An acquaintance accidentally left her iPhone 7 in the seatback pocket. Unfortunately Delta doesn’t offer beagle retrieval and she had already exited security so it was too late to go back, but she waited, hoping the cleaners would find it.
Instead, using Find My iPhone, she watched it taxi down the runway back to Atlanta, where the cleaners missed it once again. Then later that afternoon it flew to Orlando where it remained undiscovered. It was only after the first flight the next morning that a passenger found it and turned it in. (See Tips for Recovering Forgotten Items)
A good reminder that your seat is not often cleaned on quick turnarounds or even when parked overnight. And would it surprise you to learn that seatback pockets aren’t among the dirtiest places on the planes?
According to a TravelMath study last year, tray tables and seat buckles are among the dirtiest surfaces. Finding out about the air vent was a shock for me, though it makes a lot of sense.
So if you’re traveling over the holidays and want to stay healthy, be careful about washing your hands frequently and avoiding touching your face. And bringing some travel size anti-bacterial wipes will not only help you, but all the passengers who have your seat afterwards. 🙂
