Cabin crew secrets: Why you should never lean on the plane window

The window seat of a plane is the most popular with passengers wanting to get a an hour or two of shut-eye during a flight.

However, one flight attendant has warned you should never lean on the plane window, for a rather disgusting reason.

Cabin crew member Linda Ferguson, who worked on airlines for 24 years, said it was the dirtiest part of the plane as passengers regularly cough and sneeze against the surface, as well as touching it with dirty hands or dirty hair.

“I see plenty of people carry Lysol wipes with them that will wipe the area around their seat,” she told Reader’s Digest.

“If there was a blacklight and they could light up a plane with all the germs, I think it would petrify everybody.

“My rule of thumb, and I never get sick, is I never put my hands in my mouth or near my face.”

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If you do want to sleep on the plane, it is best to use antibacterial spray or wipes on parts you will touch, including the window, and to be regularly washing your hands.

Other places on a plane that are notoriously dirty

It also isn’t the only offender on the plane – tray tables are often cited as one of the dirtiest places as they rarely get cleaned between flights.

Not only do people eat on them, but some passengers have even been caught using them as changing tables for their babies, or putting their bare feet on them.

A former flight attendant warned on Reddit: “If you’re flying short haul, definitely bring antibacterial wipes or sanitiser.

“A lot of airlines will have the crew ‘turnaround’ the plane, meaning they pick up your rubbish, fold your seatbelt over, file your magazines in the seat pocket and then welcome new passengers.
 

“I have lost count of the amount of times I have had to tell people how disgusting it is to change their baby on the tray table or in a seat.”

Other parts of the plane to clean include the seatbelt, while using the seat pocket in front is also advised against.

One cabin crew member said they found everything in the pockets including “Dirty tissues, sick bags, knickers, socks, finger and toe nails, gum [and] half sucked sweets”.

Many airlines are now enforcing mandatory face masks during a flight due to the pandemic, and have stricter cleaning measures in place.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission