It seems like every day brings a fresh revelation from the airline industry that makes passengers uneasy. In keeping with this tradition, a flight attendant has come forward with a startling claim that’s bound to make air travelers think twice before ordering their next in-flight beverage. Adding ice to your drink on a plane could potentially make you seriously ill. This unsettling information, shared in a recent Reddit thread and reported by the New York Post, has raised new concerns about in-flight hygiene and passenger health.
Why Did The Flight Attendant Advise Against Adding Ice To Drinks?
The anonymous flight attendant warned, “Don’t get ice in your drink.” They explained, “The ice is put in a tray with a scoop, and the trays don’t get cleaned very often.” This seemingly innocuous practice could expose passengers to a host of harmful bacteria and germs. The reasoning behind this alarming claim is twofold. Firstly, the flight attendant points out the lack of proper sanitation for ice trays. They also highlight the broader issue of hygiene on planes.
“Every surface on the plane is touched by hundreds of people daily and not often disinfected,” the attendant revealed. “We don’t have the opportunity to wash our hands at all during the beverage service.”
This disturbing information isn’t just hearsay. Flight attendants have consistently reported issues with the thoroughness and frequency of aircraft cleaning. The hasty turnaround cleaning between flights is a common source of complaints. This speed seldom leads to thorough sanitation but more to superficial tidying.
Ways In Which Passengers Can Ensure Their Safety While Flying
For travelers who simply can’t imagine their in-flight drink without ice, experts offer a potential workaround. A 2019 study by the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center at the City University of New York found that ordering alcoholic beverages or sodas could help mitigate the number of microbes. The study noted a “consistent reduction of bacterial risk due to alcohol, CO2, pH and antibacterial ingredients of vodka, whisky, Martini, peach tea, tonic water, and Coke.”
However, according to researchers, the safest option is to bring your own bottled water. This recommendation gains additional weight considering the same study’s findings. These outcomes reveal that drinking water on 11 major and 12 regional airlines might be unsafe for human consumption.
