Search Results for: blog the ugly truth about airplane water

An Airplane’s Germ Zones

The title of this blog probably seems redundant if you’ve read my previous posts about the health of commercial aircrafts. For all intents and purposes airplanes are pretty much flying petri dishes and if you complete a flight without catching a single bug, then consider yourself blessed. At least that’s what researchers and investigators would have us think. Their years-long findings regarding dangerous germs found on major airliners is enough to make anyone re-consider jetting off on a romantic rendezvous in Paris or even a short flight to meet up with Mickey and Minnie. In my previous post I mentioned … Continue reading →

More Airline Fees: Pillows, Blankets, Water and More

What’s next, having to pay to use the toilet mid-flight? Another day, another announcement from airlines saying that they simply can’t stay in business unless they find another way to earn some extra cash. The latest brilliant money making idea: JetBlue’s plan to charge passengers $7 for a pillow and blanket set. It’s no joke. But before you cancel your reservations you should know that the carrier is quick to point out that you are free to bring along your own pillows and blankets (though doing so will mean you will be able to carry on little else). Frankly, I … Continue reading →

The Dirt on Dirty Airplanes

If you thought that the restrooms on your last flight departing from Los Angeles or San Francisco international airports were filthy wait until you see them now. Passengers complaining about unclean facilities say they were “repulsed” and “disgusted” at the sight of the bathrooms. But get this–the people in charge of cleaning the onboard restrooms are not disputing the claims. Union workers who clean airplanes at both the L.A. and San Francisco airports blame the dirty bathrooms on serious understaffing and lack of equipment. The maintenance workers claim they aren’t being given the time or resources to properly do their … Continue reading →

Say So Long to Shorts on Airplanes

Relax; major carriers are not banning shorts on their aircrafts I just thought with the sweltering summer months upon us I would provide a follow up to my blog on walking barefoot on airplanes. Whereas some airline passengers like to air their tootsies on long flights, others prefer to give their legs breathing room by donning shorts on planes. Since the majority of my trips involve jetting back and forth from the Midwest to Hawaii I have seen my share of skin on planes. Believe me when I say some passengers have no shame when it comes to exposing themselves … Continue reading →

Would You Walk Barefoot in an Airplane?

Frankly, the idea repulses me. Especially given the recent rodent sightings reported by airline passengers. Still, I have to admit I have seen (and winced at) literally dozens of passengers on my flights to and from Hawaii who feel compelled to stroll about the cabin sans shoos. Perhaps, it’s because one of my best friends is a flight attendant for one of the nation’s largest airlines and she doesn’t hesitate to share the horror stories detailing what has been dragged on airplane floors. (I won’t even dare divulge the wretched items she has seen on the plane’s bathroom floors.) Regardless, … Continue reading →

Keeping Cozy on a Chilly Airplane

I grew up in Hawaii so when the temperature dips below 73 I tend to get a bit chilly. Doesn’t bode well for dealing with Wisconsin winters, but I digress. Which is why I never venture to the grocery store, movie theater or restaurant without a jacket, regardless of the season. It’s also the reason I never board an airplane without dressing in layers, even when I am flying home to Hawaii. I’ve taken the 15-hour flight home dozens of times and I am still shocked by the number of travelers who board the Hawaii-bound plane in New York or … Continue reading →

Warning: Falling Airplane Parts

Our neighbors to the west got a real travel scare this week… and they weren’t even on vacation. The St. Clair family is counting their blessings after part of a commercial airliner fell out of the sky and into their backyard. Luckily no one was injured. Still, the incident has left Judy St. Clair, who found the two-foot-long piece of metal stuck in her grass, shaken up. “I was coming out with the laundry basket to hang my laundry, and I noticed a piece of metal in my yard, a large, large piece of metal in my yard,” St. Clair … Continue reading →

Cheers To National Drinking Water Week!

It’s that time of year again. Time to raise our glasses and offer a toast to the wonders of tap water. At least that’s what the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants you to do this week. (Okay, so I should have posted this blog on Monday, but, hey, there are still a couple days left to get in on the festivities.) Whether you realized it or not, this week is National Drinking Water Week, a time when water suppliers join with us (water consuming individuals) to recognize the vital role water plays in … Continue reading →

Travel and Germaphobes

Traveling’s tough for germaphobes. In addition to protecting themselves from bacteria found in airport bathrooms, the airplane’s tray tables and seat pockets, they have to contend with dirty luggage. Fortunately, studies show that checked bags that are exposed to grease, mud, and a host of other foreign slime won’t likely make you sick. Of course, there is always the possibility that E.coli might take up residence on the bottom of your bag, so it’s always a good idea to formulate a post-trip cleaning plan sooner rather than later, especially if you are a germaphobe. Health experts suggest that upon landing … Continue reading →

Dirty Planes: Your Ticket to Illness

I’m sick and tired… actually, I am mainly tired. Too bad I can’t blame that on dirty airplanes. However, if I come down with pneumonia soon, I know where to point my finger. Forget about blaming filthy bathrooms on commercial aircrafts for illnesses, according to The Wall Street Journal, germs like Aspergillus niger, which cause pneumonia and a host of other infections, can be found just as easily on the pillow and blanket you use to catch some shut-eye on the red-eye. The paper’s investigation found that unless a pillow or blanket is visibly soiled it often gets reissued. The … Continue reading →