The Inkwell

Everyone gets all wigged out about air quality inside airplane cabins. I’ll agree, it isn’t any fun when the weirdo behind you is coughing up tuberculosis molecules for two hours. The reality is, airplane air is fresh air that is drawn in through the engines. What will usually make you sick on a plane are the surfaces.

Let’s first take a look at the tray table. They’re usually only cleaned at their overnight destinations. That means if you’re on an evening flight, a whole day’s worth of gak has accumulated on the tray.

Allow me to share my observations as a flight attendant. I’ve seen all of the following (and more) on those tray tables.

• Teenage feet
• Poopy diapers
• Drool from sleepers
• Vomit (okay, trays obviously get cleaned after someone horks all over the place, but still!)
• Blood (who knows where that comes from)
• Sneeze residue
• Shoes
• ABC gum

The same stuff can be found on the arm rests. I don’t even know if th0se get wiped down regularly.

And have you looked up at the gasper vents? Those are the twisty little air vents by your reading light. I’m pretty confident the airlines take delivery of the aircraft with ingrained grim in the twist mechanism.

Don’t forget to check out the windows and window shades. By the end of the day they’ve probably had at least one sick puppy pawing and pressing his face up against the glass.

So before you go blaming the airplanes air quality for making you sick, consider the surfaces first.

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