6 Tips to Protect Yourself from Germs on Flights

When you walk on your next flight you are probably just anticipating the work or fun ahead when you arrive at your destination, but there are a few more things to keep in mind while attempting to enjoy your journey.

Let’s face it airplanes are teaming with germs. Airlines will deny this, but it’s potentially true. You are enclosed in a small space – your seat, which gets a lot of use, (flight after flight and person after person.) The air is recycled, and the person sitting next to you may be coughing or sneezing from takeoff to touch down.

How would you like to be the next lucky patron who sits in the seat of the person that was coughing and sneezing all through the flight? Yeah, just think about all those germs. You need to be prepared to protect yourself from germs that could be lurking all around you in the aircraft, so here are a few tips.

1. Bring antibacterial wipes
This is one of the most important tips that you should follow on every flight. Always clean off the armrest and the tray table with antibacterial wipes before you use them. Airline crews clear the plane of obvious trash and debris, but armrests and trays are rarely completely wiped down. Bacteria and germs can remain on surfaces and populate for a very long period of time.

2. Use bottled water
Don’t request a cup of water or ice in your drinks. The water source on planes is allegedly full of bacteria and is rarely flushed or cleaned. Request bottled water, or bring your own bottled water with you.

3. Bring your own headphones
Don’t use the headphones airlines provide. Use your own. The headsets on airplanes are re-bagged, and handed out, again and again, flight after flight, but rarely – if ever – cleaned off. You don’t want to share earwax with anyone.

4. Be careful in the bathroom
Use the antibacterial wipes to wash your hands in the restroom, and never refill your water bottle with water from the plane’s bathroom. It’s the same water source that is potentially full of bacteria and rarely flushed or cleaned.

5. Don’t use the blankets or pillows
The pillows and blankets on planes are not washed between flights; they are re-packaged and handed out again and again. Anything can be passed from person to person from blankets and pillows. Bring your own.

6. Cover your nose and mouth
The recycled air is conceivably full of germs. The airlines constantly deny this, but on long flights, the recycled air on a plane can affect you. I have personally become ill several times after traveling on flights from the east to the west coast. Now I always cover my nose and mouth on every flight.

Don’t let these tips freak you out on your next flight. Being aware of the germs that may be loitering on the plane and being prepared to deal with them should really make you feel a lot more at ease.

Now Take Off!