We know planes aren’t the cleanest of places. Yes, airlines do their best to turnover aircrafts between flights and disinfect as many surfaces as possible in a short amount of time, but most travellers are not shocked if they return home with the unwanted souvenir of a cold or flu. 

While most surfaces of a seat are cleaned, passengers often take it upon themselves to bring along some disinfectant wipes to give their designated seat a once-over to ensure that it’s as germ-free as possible. But one spot that they often don’t think of cleaning, and most likely use even though it is quite possibly the most germ-ridden, is the back-seat pocket. 

Business Insider has reported that a user on Reddit that claims to be a long-haul flight attendant says that the back-seat pocket is never cleaned properly and everything from garbage to used tissues and underwear have been found in them after a flight. 

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The Reddit user claims, “They are cleared of rubbish but are never ‘cleaned’. I have pulled out and seen all sorts being pulled out from there. Dirty tissues, sick bags, knickers, gum, half sucked sweets, apple cores…and then next flight you go and put your phone/laptop/iPad in there.” 

Just think, when you’re on a flight where do you put unwanted rubbish when a flight attendant is not in sight? Usually the seat pocket in front of you. And if you don’t want to hold onto your water bottle that also usually goes in there. With the pockets usually emptied instead of cleaned, germs and bacteria easily build up and if you’re putting your water bottle in there then it’s likely the bottle will transfer the germs from the pocket to your hands or mouth. 

It will come as a surprise to no one that the flight attendant also said that plane bathrooms are also germ hotspots on an aircraft. 

“Please do not ever walk into a toilet with bare feet,” they wrote. “I promise you, nine times out of 10 that is not water on the floor.”

Next time you’re on a flight and want to avoid picking up unwanted germs, bring some disinfectant wipes, avoid the seat-pocket in front of you and spend as little time as possible in the bathroom. 

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