A new survey has revealed some of the disgusting habits that airline passengers get up to while flying.
These include clipping toenails, going to the toilet in just socks and stashing personal items in the notoriously germy seat-back pocket.
Travel insurance firm AllClear spoke to two former flight attendants to get their insider knowledge on the habits of passengers.
They also shared their advice on the germiest spots onboard and how to avoid them on your next flight.
The Unhygienic Habits Of Airline Passengers
| Rank | Unhygienic Habit | Percentage of Travelers That Admit to It |
| 1 | Stored personal items (e.g. phone or food) in the seatback pocket | 30% |
| 2 | Rested head or face directly on the tray table | 19% |
| 3 | Gone to the plane toilet barefoot or in socks | 13% |
| 4 | Rested feet on the seat or armrest in front | 10% |
| 5 | Changed a nappy on a plane seat or tray table | 6% |
| 6 | Plucked hairs (e.g. eyebrows, beard, nose, etc.) | 6% |
| 7 | Clipped fingernails or toenails | 5% |
Here are four tips for keeping clean and comfortable in the air.
1. Avoid using seat back pockets for food or personal items
Almost a third of travellers (29%) store their personal items and food in seatback pockets, but these areas are rarely cleaned.
One ex-attendant recalled, “sometimes dirty nappies and used sick bags would be left in seat pockets.”
Where possible, travellers should try to store snacks in resealable containers and sanitise their hands if they use the pockets.
2. Wipe down surfaces before use
Tray tables are used for more than meals and aren’t always cleaned properly with quick turnarounds between flights.
One former flight attendant said, “tray tables are probably among the most unsanitary parts [of the plane] – cleaners would often use the same cloth for every table.”
3. Don’t rest your head on the tray table
Another option for travellers to avoid resting their face on the tray table, seat or any other surface is by bringing a neck pillow to lean on and get some rest while traveling.
The experts do recommend keeping the neck pillow clean and giving it a wash after every trip so no germs and dirt can build up.
4. Avoid moving around the plane barefoot or in socks
The aircraft toilet may be one of the most contaminated areas on board, yet more than one in five passengers admit to using it barefoot or in socks.
“The flooring where the trolleys are kept is one of the areas that doesn’t get cleaned as much”, one ex-attendant noted. Instead, travellers could use disposable slippers or airplane-provided socks.
“Simple habits such as using hand sanitiser, bringing protective footwear, or avoiding personal grooming in shared spaces can make a big difference,” said Letitia Smith, Head of Communications at AllClear.
“We want people to enjoy their holidays without picking up illnesses that could potentially be avoided with a little bit of preparation.”
