Don't Let Dirty Airplanes Spoil Your Vacation--Some Tips to Avoid Getting Sick
Oct. 24, 2006. An article in the New York Times confirms what many frequent flyers have known---airplanes have been getting dirtier as airlines have cut back on expenses and services. The article by Jeff Bailey reports, “---the modern airliner, an untidy tube hurtling through the sky full of passengers who cannot wait to land and go wash their hands with disinfectant soap. Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but in the airline industry it has taken a back seat to financial survival.�
The article also quotes Linda Hirneise who heads the travel practice at J.D. Power & Associates as saying, “There's still a long ways they have to go.� Her company surveys passengers about airline cleanliness, and this year the top-ranked carrier - JetBlue - received an 8.49 on a 10-point scale. But in Hirneise's opinion, "anything below a nine is flunking."
When you add the findings about airplane filth to the fact that you are breathing recirculated air, you have a built-in recipe to get sick, especially in the upcoming cold months when colds and flu are most virulent. That is the last thing you want to happen on your vacation. Recently, my wife had the misfortune to be seated next to a woman who was coughing and sneezing throughout the trip. What we had planned as a nice weekend after a business meeting turned out to be a weekend in bed trying to get well.
Last winter, at a time that I was flying on a trip every week, I fell victim to frequent colds and flu, and was able to break the cycle only after resorting to massive dosages of Vitamin C. This was very distressing since I am the kind of person who almost never misses a way of work because of illness. I concluded that my problem was my frequent flights. As a result, I have developed a number of tips that minimize the likelihood or airline infections.
Carry hand sanitizers and use them frequently. You can use antibacterial toweletts, but little bottle of liquids are once again permissible as long as you show them to security in a see-through baggy. Avoid contact with handrails, bathroom door handles and other such surfaces as much as possible. One of the dirtiest surfaces is the fold down tray that is used to serve your food and beverages. Either avoid contact or give the tray an antibacterial wipe down. Take a dose of your favorite remedy, such as Airborne or Emer’gen-C, before and after your trip. If it is a particularly long trip, you might add an in-flight dose.
And I almost forgot, if you happen to be seated next to someone who is sneezing and coughing, request the flight attendant to move you to a different seat, any seat.
