Dirty Airline Seats

[PrincessKsMom]

I don't think I'd want a maintenance person cleaning the tables, armrests, etc. and here's why: I work in an office building. We have cleaning staff who come by at night. They use the same cloth to clean everything -- every desk, every ledge, every picture frame, every phone. How is this any cleaner? If they wipe Susie's desk, and Susie has the flu, your desk is next. This is just spreading the germs more. I will continue to bring my own Clorox wipes and wipe stuff down myself. I'm not about to assume someone else did a good job. JMHO.

 

[NHdisneylover]

OP--I can understand you being concerend and cleaning up your own area. Generally, I take Bavaria's approach to germs while traveling (and yet we are hardly ever sick--DD12 was sick last week with suspected H1N1, but nearly 20% of her school was out too, both kids have gone full years more often that not with no sick visits to the doctors). However, I totally get not wanting to come down with something on vacation. I live in fear of the day I am denied boarding on a cruise ship because one of us has picked up a bug--so when we are heading to a cruise THEN sanitizer must be purchased for the plane (yet I cannot think of a single time I can link any illness in my family to flying--other than DHs ear problems, so I am not sure whay I worry about it). I really can't understand wanting the airlines to spend the time to fully clean/sanitize between flights. I can easily see airfare doubling if they do. I figure when it matters to me (in my case, heading to a cruise ship) then I will sanitize my area. And I just can't get worked up about possible germs on plastic cups and ice, etc. Maybe you saw something much worse than I have ever seen while traveling--but I have never been given reason to believe that the drinks/snacks on the plane are any less sanitary than similar items I might get anywhere else

 

[ironz]

As a frequent traveler, I also agree that the airlines do not have time or personnel to completely wipe down every seat and traytable between each flight. Not only the time to wipe them down (and yes, it would likely be with a dirty rag by the time they've done a few rows), but even more time to lower and raise each tray.

I don't usually find them to be too dirty....or if I find the occasional stain/coffee spill/whatever, I just don't use the tray or place the inflight magazine or Skymall catalogue over it if I must use the tray.

What would be nice....if someone does spill on the plane...to actually have the courtesy to notify the flight attendant so that they can get a paper towel at least to wipe the table down right after the spill, rather than just latch it back in the locked position and ignore it. But common courtesy is in short supply, it seems.

For the OP...it would just make sense to bring some wipes and be prepared to wipe it down freshly yourself, if that will make you more comfortable on the plane.

I myself fly an average of 6-10 flight segments a month (that makes 70-120 flights a year)...I don't wipe down things on the plane, I do wash my hands frequently, I do take the offered drinks and snacks from the flight attendants, I don't change the sheets in my hotel room and don't re-clean the hotel room...I've been sick with bronchitis one week in the last 2 years. Which was most doubtfully contracted by anything travel related, other than I'm around PEOPLE all the time.

 

[goofy4tink]

You all seem to miss the point I suggested that you wipe the tray table and arm rest where you will be eating and touching. My flight was at 10 am and it was filthy. I take public transportation, go to movies when I can and sadly I find it cleaner and much less expensive. Planes are smaller with recirculating air that hold many people inside for long periods of time where they are using toilets with sparse handwashing facilities and serving food. Deep clean no. Not necessary and not expected. Hair and food particles where you eat and sit not tolerable. I suggest you wipe the tray table. Glad I had the good sense to.

I always wear long pants and long sleeved shirts when flying. I also bring Chlorox wipes with me...we wipe down the tray, the armrests, especially the tv control area. But, I've been doing that for years.

 

[Anjelica]

Eh.

I use the pillows and blankets too quite often too. I'm a rebel that way.

You are brave....

 

[bavaria]

You all seem to miss the point I suggested that you wipe the tray table and arm rest where you will be eating and touching. Glad I had the good sense to.

As I write this I am eating my breakfast while sitting on a bed, the only place to sit. My coffee is drunk out of a cup I last washed in a kitchen sink a few weeks ago; it is washed out in the only sink I have to wash myself, my clothes, and my dishes. My bread was cut with a knife similarly cleaned, and my Nutella bread prepared on a tissue instead of a plate.

During the day there is no water to wash my hands before I eat lunch or dinner; some days there is running water for the toilet. Toilet paper doesn't exist so one learns to bring packets of tissue; when those runs out one looks for paper napkins in restaurants; when those run out, well, one makes do with what one can. The power has gone out 3x while I read this so I am eating by the light of my laptop and a battery powered torch.

I have a small 'pocket' bottle of anti-bacterial gel which I purchased in America a few weeks ago and it is only about half empty. I do have a bottle of liquid soap by the sink but I cannot stand the smell so it doesn't get used that often; I use a bottle of bodywash instead most times. The reality is that my buddy Duds is more likely to catch H1N1 in his clean home and workplace in America than I will in my travels.

I don't lack common sense.

As I write this I can also look from my window into one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the world. It shames me to have these petty arguments and discussions but often the internet is the only diversion I have when I need to turn away from the world around me.

Do what makes you feel comfortable, but don't deride those of us who choose not to do the same, and don't expect the rest of us to pay for your issues.

 

[bavaria]

May I also point out that most posters are most likely responding to the thread title, which is 'Dirty Airline Seats', not 'Dirty Airline Traytables'.




I'm also not sitting on the bed anymore as I write this....

 

[kaytieeldr]

As I indicated, yes I would wait an extra 10 minutes for a maintenance person to come on the flight to wipe down tables.

Think about it, though. How long did it take you to clean five seats? Now multiply that times thirty. It would take a cleaning crew a lot longer if they had to clean all the armrests, and open the tray tables and clean them, and then lock the tables into the seatbacks or replace them inside the armrests. It's not a matter of just ten minutes on just one flight. This additional cleaning would drastically alter the turnaround time for EVERY single flight out of EVERY airport ALL day. Airlines would have to cut back on the number of flights. Fares would jump to make up for the flight cutbacks.

It would not cost anything to designate one flight attendant to serve and one to pick up the waste.

It would 'cost' customers. ONE Flight Attendant serving all the food and all the drinks to 150 passengers = irate, hungry, thirsty passengers having to wait twice as long for service.

My observations were emailed to jetblue this morning

Would you mind quoting the response here when you get it?

As an RN I do understand Infection Control and I would guess that since there is a worldwide flu outbreak that has our government calling it an epidemic that grounding planes for contamination, quarantining staff and passengers and paying for sick calls for staff and then trying to pay overtime to replace sick staff would be a bit costly

Except, despite the ongoing pandemic, there have been no planes grounded for contamination, there have been no staff or passengers quarantined. Sick calls? People in all fields get sick and stay home from work. Overtime? Unlikely, since flight crews are restricted in the number of hours per month they are allowed to fly. Probably somewhere, there's a temp agency for Flight Attendants - but overtime? Uh-uh.

 

[SaraJayne]

As an RN I do understand Infection Control and I would guess that since there is a worldwide flu outbreak that has our government calling it an epidemic that grounding planes for contamination, quarantining staff and passengers and paying for sick calls for staff and then trying to pay overtime to replace sick staff would be a bit costly. Having a maintenance person wipe the tray tables while the baggage is removed and while Flight Attendants perform safety routines shouldn't delay planes unless the airline industry wants it to. But that's just my take. On the news last night there was something about airlines waiving flight cancellation fees when a person is sick. I missed the whole story but obviously they are becoming concerned. I will continue to wash my hands, vaccinate and be vigilant. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Your baggage is typically off the plane before you are. I think you're overreacting, but that's just me. I'm not a germophobe, though.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

If this is such a huge concern for the flying public, why not just cancel and stay home? I'm not going to, but maybe that's best for others. FWIW, DD has what I believe to be the flu. 7 other kids are out sick and 4 more went home today. They use wipes at their desks every morning, and are instructed by the teachers to use hand sanitizer all the time. Didn't help.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I currently travel once a month and have, in the past, had jobs where I traveled every week.

I use the airline pillows and blankets. I refuse to use gasket covers on the toilets. I don't wipe off a table in the food court if it doesn't look sticky. I have been known to trade a stranger his apple for my muffin on the plane.

In hotels, I sleep under the comforter and use all the extra pillows as body pillows. I drink from the water glasses and the coffee cups. I walk barefoot on the carpet and use the remote, the desk, the chairs and store my stuff in the lowboys.

I eat from street vendors and at little restaurants with dubious kitchens that only take cash. I think that if you wipe fruit off with your sleeve, that makes it good enough for eating purposes. I have dropped my cheese into dirt, picked it up, rubbed it off on my pants leg and eaten it. I routinely put artifacts from shovel test pits into my mouth to wash them off, or if the easily grossed out are around, spit into my palm to accomplish same.

And I am still here and am, according to my primary doctor, in tip-top shape. (Actually, I think that's due to Weight Watchers, Elliptical and Spin, but still. The above didn't harm me one iota.)

 

[snarlingcoyote]

As I write this I am eating my breakfast while sitting on a bed, the only place to sit. My coffee is drunk out of a cup I last washed in a kitchen sink a few weeks ago; it is washed out in the only sink I have to wash myself, my clothes, and my dishes. My bread was cut with a knife similarly cleaned, and my Nutella bread prepared on a tissue instead of a plate.

During the day there is no water to wash my hands before I eat lunch or dinner; some days there is running water for the toilet. Toilet paper doesn't exist so one learns to bring packets of tissue; when those runs out one looks for paper napkins in restaurants; when those run out, well, one makes do with what one can. The power has gone out 3x while I read this so I am eating by the light of my laptop and a battery powered torch.

I have a small 'pocket' bottle of anti-bacterial gel which I purchased in America a few weeks ago and it is only about half empty. I do have a bottle of liquid soap by the sink but I cannot stand the smell so it doesn't get used that often; I use a bottle of bodywash instead most times. The reality is that my buddy Duds is more likely to catch H1N1 in his clean home and workplace in America than I will in my travels.

I don't lack common sense.

As I write this I can also look from my window into one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the world. It shames me to have these petty arguments and discussions but often the internet is the only diversion I have when I need to turn away from the world around me.

Do what makes you feel comfortable, but don't deride those of us who choose not to do the same, and don't expect the rest of us to pay for your issues.

Can I be you in my next life?

 

[NHdisneylover]

I currently travel once a month and have, in the past, had jobs where I traveled every week.

I use the airline pillows and blankets. I refuse to use gasket covers on the toilets. I don't wipe off a table in the food court if it doesn't look sticky. I have been known to trade a stranger his apple for my muffin on the plane.

In hotels, I sleep under the comforter and use all the extra pillows as body pillows. I drink from the water glasses and the coffee cups. I walk barefoot on the carpet and use the remote, the desk, the chairs and store my stuff in the lowboys.

I eat from street vendors and at little restaurants with dubious kitchens that only take cash. I think that if you wipe fruit off with your sleeve, that makes it good enough for eating purposes.

Apparently I have missed a few memos--I had no idea we weren't supposed to do these things

I DID know that our family is apparently crazy becuase we drink the tap water anywhere the locals do. Something about "different water will upset your stomach even if it is safe." I have no idea where this ideastarted--but I get it all the time.
Oh--I do disagree with you about cleaning apples on your sleeve---shirt tails and skirt hems work better

 

[LSchrow]

side note: don't plan on getting comfy with pillows & blankets if you fly SWA.

they removed both from their planes as of this past summer (we were told it was b/c of "health concerns", primarily the flu problem).

& count me in with the legions of people who rarely get sick, but take no special precautions (i think the last cold i had was about 8 years ago). the only precautionary thing i do is wash my hands before touching food as i handle quite a bit of cash. i refuse to use antbacterial gels, etc as it seems everyone i know who does so, is always sick

to each their own

 

[bavaria]

Can I be you in my next life?

I just returned from peeing in the dark. With no TP.

 

[goofy4tink]

As I write this I am eating my breakfast while sitting on a bed, the only place to sit. My coffee is drunk out of a cup I last washed in a kitchen sink a few weeks ago; it is washed out in the only sink I have to wash myself, my clothes, and my dishes. My bread was cut with a knife similarly cleaned, and my Nutella bread prepared on a tissue instead of a plate.

During the day there is no water to wash my hands before I eat lunch or dinner; some days there is running water for the toilet. Toilet paper doesn't exist so one learns to bring packets of tissue; when those runs out one looks for paper napkins in restaurants; when those run out, well, one makes do with what one can. The power has gone out 3x while I read this so I am eating by the light of my laptop and a battery powered torch.

I have a small 'pocket' bottle of anti-bacterial gel which I purchased in America a few weeks ago and it is only about half empty. I do have a bottle of liquid soap by the sink but I cannot stand the smell so it doesn't get used that often; I use a bottle of bodywash instead most times. The reality is that my buddy Duds is more likely to catch H1N1 in his clean home and workplace in America than I will in my travels.

I don't lack common sense.

As I write this I can also look from my window into one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the world. It shames me to have these petty arguments and discussions but often the internet is the only diversion I have when I need to turn away from the world around me.

Do what makes you feel comfortable, but don't deride those of us who choose not to do the same, and don't expect the rest of us to pay for your issues.

I currently travel once a month and have, in the past, had jobs where I traveled every week.

I use the airline pillows and blankets. I refuse to use gasket covers on the toilets. I don't wipe off a table in the food court if it doesn't look sticky. I have been known to trade a stranger his apple for my muffin on the plane.

In hotels, I sleep under the comforter and use all the extra pillows as body pillows. I drink from the water glasses and the coffee cups. I walk barefoot on the carpet and use the remote, the desk, the chairs and store my stuff in the lowboys.

I eat from street vendors and at little restaurants with dubious kitchens that only take cash. I think that if you wipe fruit off with your sleeve, that makes it good enough for eating purposes. I have dropped my cheese into dirt, picked it up, rubbed it off on my pants leg and eaten it. I routinely put artifacts from shovel test pits into my mouth to wash them off, or if the easily grossed out are around, spit into my palm to accomplish same.

And I am still here and am, according to my primary doctor, in tip-top shape. (Actually, I think that's due to Weight Watchers, Elliptical and Spin, but still. The above didn't harm me one iota.)

What we have here are folks just living on the edge.....real dare devils. Sounds like me. Everytime I pull that comforter up around me, in a hotel, I think of these threads. And heaven forbid...sit on the bed, and eat? Or walk around in my bare feet??? Yep, living on the edge. To date, I have yet to get sick while traveling or shortly after returning.

I just returned from peeing in the dark. With no TP.

Allrighty then...we have gone into the 'TMI' zone!!!!

 

[rflorek]

I take public transportation, go to movies when I can and sadly I find it cleaner and much less expensive.

You take public transportation and go to movies in NY and find it clearner than an airplane?? My DBF lives and Brooklyn, and I've worked in Manhattan, and I know better.....

Just curious: do you bring wipes to the supermarket or Target/WalMart to clean everything there (shopping cart handles/child seats, shelves, conveyor belts and checkout lanes, etc). Many people touch/contaminate thosse every day and I've worked in a supermarket and they are not as clean as many would like to believe.

 

[crashbb]

I currently travel once a month and have, in the past, had jobs where I traveled every week.

I use the airline pillows and blankets. I refuse to use gasket covers on the toilets. I don't wipe off a table in the food court if it doesn't look sticky. I have been known to trade a stranger his apple for my muffin on the plane.

In hotels, I sleep under the comforter and use all the extra pillows as body pillows. I drink from the water glasses and the coffee cups. I walk barefoot on the carpet and use the remote, the desk, the chairs and store my stuff in the lowboys.

I eat from street vendors and at little restaurants with dubious kitchens that only take cash. I think that if you wipe fruit off with your sleeve, that makes it good enough for eating purposes. I have dropped my cheese into dirt, picked it up, rubbed it off on my pants leg and eaten it. I routinely put artifacts from shovel test pits into my mouth to wash them off, or if the easily grossed out are around, spit into my palm to accomplish same.

And I am still here and am, according to my primary doctor, in tip-top shape. (Actually, I think that's due to Weight Watchers, Elliptical and Spin, but still. The above didn't harm me one iota.)

But you do bring a black light to check out your hotel room, right?

Other than the shovel pit thing, I do pretty much the same as you.

 

[keishashadow]

And I totally agree with bavaria about being 'too sanitized' I feel you are also killing some good germs that live on you if you go overboard with it. I had a co-worker whos hands were absolutely trashed most of the time from constant hand washing. I would much rather have a cold here or there, then to have my hands in the kind of shape his were. makes me shiver just to think of them..

Due to over usage of antibacterial agents in dish soap, etc.; said bacteria is becoming resistant to our arsenal.

....Also, I don't have time to search for the thread here or the news story, but there's a post on this board quoting the story about how that famous "germ-ridden recirculated air" on airplanes is a myth and that for most of the time you are on a plane, the air is just as clean, if not cleaner, than in other indoor spaces people frequent.

I'm big on fresh air to stay healthy indoors, many instances of sick houses, builit so energy efficient. In public, unless everybody gets the message to cover their mouth when they sneeze or cough, all bets are off. Airborne was taken to task for their claims and paid large settlement, yet many still swear by it

I currently travel once a month and have, in the past, had jobs where I traveled every week.

I use the airline pillows and blankets. I refuse to use gasket covers on the toilets. I don't wipe off a table in the food court if it doesn't look sticky. I have been known to trade a stranger his apple for my muffin on the plane.

In hotels, I sleep under the comforter and use all the extra pillows as body pillows. I drink from the water glasses and the coffee cups. I walk barefoot on the carpet and use the remote, the desk, the chairs and store my stuff in the lowboys.

I eat from street vendors and at little restaurants with dubious kitchens that only take cash. I think that if you wipe fruit off with your sleeve, that makes it good enough for eating purposes. I have dropped my cheese into dirt, picked it up, rubbed it off on my pants leg and eaten it. I routinely put artifacts from shovel test pits into my mouth to wash them off, or if the easily grossed out are around, spit into my palm to accomplish same.

quote]

Only good thing re short connecting flights is chance to avoid the potty on the plane

Remember the Inside Edition expose on Orlando hotels rooms, featuring the glasses @ Contemporary Resort? I shall forever re-wash the glasses in all hotel rooms. Disclaimer, yes; i have stayed @ CR & it is lovely; the maid just got 'caught'

apparently, you have'nt been introduced to Montezuma re the fruit & tap water in exotic locals, or have been exposed and developed tolerance. My solution, bottled beer, lots of it (naturally after washing the bottle's neck). BTW, I consider myself to be of hardy stock and wound up with massive infection from 1 stinking sand flea bite in Honduras. Unless one has compromised immunity, it's really just the luck of the draw.

 

[kazzy3]

Ok, I will go where you folks seem to want to go.
First, had a perfect trip, awesome time. I (w/ chronic illness and on immunosuppressive drugs), my small children, and senior parents did not get sick. I guess I did something right by being a clean and responsible person. I am not a germaphobe, just a realist. Thanks to all the people out there who accept responsibility for themselves and the community by simply washing your hands and personal space and staying home when you are sick. It probably took me a minute to displace 7 people to clean. Moms of 3 who are RNs are pretty competent people capable of multitasking. How unfortunate that others are not capable of the same or limited by middle management or out of touch unions. (Btw, child of union member who put roof over my head, meds and food in my mouth, and a union member when I entered the work force.)
So now my kids are back to school and I hope the selfish and dirty people in the world ( you know who you are, why some of you are reading this) don't neglect their children and dump them in school because they couldn't be bothered.
I am very happy that some of you never get sick. I wish I could stay the same, I am proud to say that I have not had an infectious disease in 5 yrs. The last one nearly killed me. Seriously. I wish I could live with the attitude of whatever. But I can't. I have lupus. For 20 years. There is no cure there is no treatment. It is an insidious vicious disease. I am proud to have survived for 20 years. When I was diagnosed I was given 5-10 years life expectancy. I have fought and will continue to fight and live my life protecting myself. I do hope that any of you with a cavaliere attitude never have the misfortune of being diagnosed with a chronic illness nor have the experience of having a 20yo daughter diagnosed.
Just an FYI if anyone wants to judge me, I will give you more ammunition. I packed all my clothes in large ziploc bags to prevent bedbug infestation. My DH was speaking with an exterminator and mentioned that I did that. He said your wife is smart woman.
So please, enjoy your squalor and your ability to be carefree and careless. Anything you say about me or misinterpret about me doesn't mean a thing. I am just happy that you don't invite me to your house if you use dirty utensils, or stop in the middle of cooking to use the toilet and wash your hands.
Those who read me and get me wipe down your airline tray tables. Those who don't enjoy eating off of somebody else's hair. Good bye and Good luck.