What Not to Eat or Touch on a Plane? Flight Attendant Exposes the Dirtiest Places on Planes

① Foods to avoid on-board

When you board a plane, you’re stuck in an uncomfortable seat for long, just waiting to land. The in-flight meal served during a dull flight can be a time to relieve boredom. Enjoying a warm cup of coffee or wine might be the most enjoyable time on board. It’s also the most relaxed time on the plane.

However, the revelation of a flight attendant in the U.S. has left many passengers uneasy. Kat Kamalani, a flight attendant with 520,000 followers on TikTok, released a video titled “What You Should Never Eat Onboard.”

As Kat Kamalani is a real flight attendant, many people were interested in her video. Passengers were surprised by the appearance of food they could never have imagined.

The first thing she mentioned to avoid on board was warm coffee and tea. Usually, warm coffee is served on board. Many passengers enjoy coffee after a meal because they can drink fragrant coffee even on the plane.

However, Kat Kamalani revealed that the electric kettle used to serve coffee is not clean. She said it’s dirty because it’s not properly cleaned. She also said that the water tank supplying the plane was very dirty. She said that even flight attendants avoid it because it is not cleaned every day, let alone properly cleaned.

Upon hearing this, netizens reacted with comments such as “Don’t drink coffee on the plane?”, “I’ll just forget it,” “Was the plane’s water that dirty?” and “It’s serious if the flight attendant says so.”

② Flight attendant who advised passengers

Kat Kamalani also advised passengers traveling with children on the plane. She said most passengers ask flight attendants for warm water to mix formula for their children. She advised against asking for water for children on the plane. As mentioned, she warned that it might not be good, especially for children to drink because it all comes from one water tank.

In addition, another flight attendant warned that the seat backs are very dirty. She said they are dirtier than the toilet and advised against touching them if possible. Also, she explained they are not cleaned regularly. She said people often throw away diapers and used tissues in the seat back pockets.

She added credibility to her claim by saying, “Unless someone vomits or something sticky comes out, the seat back pockets are not cleaned,” and “Although the cleaners remove trash and other items, I have never seen them wipe the pockets.” On the other hand, onboard cleaners refuted her claim, saying that the seat back pockets are often cleaned after flights.

③ Is the onboard water tank filthy?

Controversy over the onboard water tank has been raised a long time ago. According to the ‘Onboard Water Quality Investigation’ by DietDetective.com and the NYCI Food Policy Center at Hunter College in New York in 2019, it was revealed that the water quality of most onboard water tanks was not good. The water in the airplane tank is purified but not filtered on board, so the water quality may not be good.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a water quality investigation on 158 airplane water tanks, revealing that about 12% of the water tanks were contaminated with bacteria and fungi. Experts recommend drinking bottled water or beverages in sealed containers on board as much as possible. They even suggested drinking wine instead of coffee.

Moreover, the water from the onboard water tank is also used in the bathroom sink. They said brushing your teeth with bottled water in the bathroom is better if possible. They also said you must be careful when washing your hands or face.

In addition to Kat Kamalani, some flight attendants have said they brush their teeth with bottled water on the plane. She said that passengers often drink tap water in the bathroom. It’s unimaginable that they drink tap water when even brushing their teeth is discouraged.

However, some airlines and netizens refuted Kat Kamalani’s claim. They argued that it’s safe to drink because the heat from the airplane engine heats the water. Passengers were left wondering whose claim was correct, boarding the plane with unease.

By. Seo Sung-min