Not all turbulence happens outside the plane.
A former flight attendant recently revealed the most sinister and disgusting details about airplane bathrooms and why passengers should be weary about when they to use them, according to the US Sun.
“The airplane loo is essentially a cupboard, with no clean air. There is no window and the air ventilation is poor,” the unnamed attendant said.
“This means that every time you go to the loo, not only are you breathing in the air of many others who have ‘done their business’ before you (especially if it’s a long-haul flight) but you could also be breathing in potential feces particles, circulating the air after a toilet flush.”
If you need to brush your teeth during the flight, it’s best to use bottled water as the expert warns that the water is unfiltered and also not in the best condition.
Adding insult to injury, airlines don’t often have the opportunity for a deep scrub in between flights, according to the attendant.
“An important part of the airline industry is turnover … This sometimes means that a full, deep clean of the airplane loo isn’t always possible due to a lack of time and higher priorities.”
Air travel expert George Hobica previously told The Post that as a whole, “those planes are deep-cleaned twice a year.”
Meanwhile, the nameless expert also divulged there are especially inopportune times to hit the head while up in the air.
“The worst time to use the airplane loo is right before take-off and at the very end of a flight, especially if it’s long-haul,” they said, explaining that’s when the bathrooms see their highest volume of usage and bacteria.
It is also ill advised to go right after a series of turbulence as passengers might feel sick from the bumpy air.
Another crucial time to jet to the toilets is before food is served, according to the flight attendant.
“Plane food is not nutritious. It can be oily and high in salt and fat; things that don’t tend to be great for gut health or bowel movements,” they said. ‘If a meal isn’t sitting right with a passenger and they need to use the loo because of it, you don’t want to be in there straight after.”
While in there, the cabin crew worker also strongly suggests to “avoid direct contact with as many surfaces as possible.”
“You should definitely wipe down every surface before you touch it, but if that’s not possible, take some sheets of [toilet paper] and use them to avoid touching anything directly with your fingertips.”