Some airline passengers change their babies' diapers on the tray table, according to a working flight attendant who described the reality of in-flight hygiene.
A flight attendant identified as Janae disclosed the unsanitary condition of in-flight tray tables through social media, the New York Post reported on the 16th.
She said some passengers change infants' diapers on seat tray tables instead of in the aircraft lavatory. "As a flight attendant, I never let food touch the tray directly," she said. Pathogens found in feces, such as E. coli and norovirus, can remain on the surface after a diaper change.
Even wiping the surface with an alcohol wipe is not enough, she explained, because the surface must stay wet for at least 10 minutes for disinfection to work properly.
Tray tables are not the only contamination-prone areas. Another flight attendant, identified as Cher, and former flight attendant Josephine Remo, along with other industry insiders, pointed to a series of spots that are difficult to disinfect properly on every flight because turnaround times are tight.
Window shades and seat belt buckles, which many hands touch, and overhead bins, which are repeatedly hit by suitcase wheels, are prime examples. Lavatory door handles and sink faucets are considered the highest-risk spots for bacterial growth because passengers must touch them after using the toilet and before washing their hands. Experts also warn against taking off shoes and walking barefoot on cabin carpets.
Shanina Knighton, an associate research professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, said exposure to a virus on board can ruin a vacation with acute gastroenteritis or abdominal pain from the start of a trip, and urged travelers to pay close attention to hygiene on contact surfaces.
Recommended habits include wiping tray tables, armrests, seat belt buckles and touch panels with an alcohol wipe right after boarding, keeping food off the tray itself, and washing hands with soap for at least 30 seconds after using the lavatory before applying hand sanitizer. Shoes should always be worn when moving about the cabin.
