Flight Attendant Shares 16 Travel Hacks And Secrets That Make Traveling Less Of A Hassle

One thing that Cierra reveals in her videos is the cleanliness of airplanes, or rather, the lack thereof. “While it is true that cleaners do come on most flights after passengers are done getting off the plane, they don't do a deep clean like you might think they do,” she says. 

Indeed, the media outlet “Which?” in their 2023 investigation found that a team of cleaners can be given as little as 8 minutes to wipe down a 180-seat plane between flights, even with some more expensive airlines. With a typical team of 8 people, two clean their way down the aisle while others take care of the gallery and toilets, giving them about six seconds to clean each seat. 

On shorter flights or with cheaper airlines, there might be no cleaning between flights at all. Instead, planes are cleaned only at the end of the day.

EasyJet, with one of the lowest ratings for cleanliness, commented on this by saying, “We deploy the highest standard of aircraft cleaning procedures in line with the latest recommendations, and every EasyJet aircraft is cleaned at the end of every flying day. A recent assessment indicated that the hygiene levels on board EasyJet’s aircraft after cleaning are as high as the national food hygiene requirements.”

During a tight turnaround, airlines usually focus on making sure that the cabin is visually clean so they can welcome passengers onto an orderly aircraft. According to travel company Trafalgar, this typically involves tasks such as collecting trash, wiping surfaces like tray tables and seatbacks, and changing products like earphones, blankets, or linens.

After midnight, there’s usually time to do a more thorough scrub, which includes cleaning the toilets, seats, overhead compartments, and aircraft kitchenette, as well as wiping and disinfecting tray tables. Most airplanes go through a more intense cleanse every four to six weeks, which takes several hours. 

A microbiologist who collected samples from four flights in 2015 found that bathrooms were some of the cleaner surfaces on an airplane. Meanwhile, the tray tables were one of the most bacteria-contaminated, followed by belt buckles, headrests, and blankets. 

In order to protect yourself against bacteria or other debris, experts advise bringing sanitizer or disinfecting wipes to clean your hands after touching any surface during your journey. Flight attendant Cierra also recommends, “Whatever you do, do not walk barefoot into that bathroom. I can promise you the liquid on the floor is not water, and you do not want to be stepping in it.”

While airlines were more than ever concerned about hygiene and cleanliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, today tight turnarounds are back and planes don’t look much more pristine than in 2019, although hand sanitizers and wipes have become more common. 

According to Cierra, another thing that airlines or flight attendants don’t talk about is the quality of water on planes. A 2019 study found that tap water in US carriers was contaminated with varying levels of E. coli and coliform. It further states, “The quality of drinking water varies by airline, and many airlines have possibly provided passengers with unhealthy water.”

The water in question is used to wash hands, and what most flight attendants use to brew coffee or tea. Bobby Laurie, a travel expert, says, “A lot of flight attendants do not drink the coffee and tea made with the onboard potable water. It is rare that those tanks are emptied and cleaned. Also, consider the coffee machines on the plane, never mind the water itself.

The hot water and coffee come from the same machine, which is rarely removed unless broken; also, it's not an item that they clean between flights. Then remember where the machines are usually located. Right near the bathrooms. No, thank you!"

The study even advises against drinking water onboard that isn’t from a sealed bottle or drinks made with water from the airline tap. Researchers also recommend people avoid washing their hands with it and opt for a hand sanitizer instead.

However, this shouldn’t deter you from traveling and seeing the world, but rather serve as a reminder to take care and stay safe out there!