Germs on the Plane
The packing happens in a frenzy making you liable for a mess that you’d call “preparing for the flight”. You’d then make a beeline for the taxi, head to the airport, check-in, wait for your flight, and you’d be up in the air. So, it should end like that but it doesn’t. It doesn’t because there are Germs on the Plane!
Not that the flight doesn’t end but there’s a lot more to it than what appears to us. Did you know that on a recent investigation — led by Karen Diess who is a microbiologist at Amstrong Forensic Laboratory at Arlington — reported about 3000 instances of Bacteria on the plane?
The following are more recent reports on airline hygiene:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2014/05/20/are-airplane-seats-a-ticket-to-infection/
http://www.worldairlineawards.com/awards_2013/cabinclean2013.htm (Not one major US carrier made it into the World Airline Awards top ten list. This is very unfortunate for air travelers!
I think we have established, that plane which you probably thought was relatively clean may be harboring more microbes than you could have imagined.
Not one place is free of microbes, dust, dirt, and germs. You are practically assaulted by these minute, invisible elements. So, what do you do?
Pick the best among the worst
If the above study were anything to go by, any random airline you’d take would have microbes on it. You’d find Bacteria everywhere and you can’t really do much about it once you made the decision to fly.
But if you do get the chance, think about making a prudent choice. There are airlines with stringent cleanliness standards. Yes, an entire airline company with an OCD (Obsessive Cleanliness Disorder).
Your research on which airline to fly just got another point on the checklist.
Always be prepared
When it comes to “being prepared”, there are some obviously simple things you could do:
● Carry a hand-sanitizer, refuse to use public toilets, and avoid holding on to the escalator railings (not all airports have public hand-sanitizers at the end of the rail).
● Wash yourself at the slightest opportunity. You know? The time you spend at the outer bay, waiting for flights after security check? The time before you check-in (if you do get the time or if you arrive early), and the time you spend on the plane itself.
Leave a note to the airline
Not many people think of leaving notes to cabin crew or the airline management but you can at least hope that they’d get the message.
If you are not too sure about the cleanliness levels on the plane, leave a note; send a tweet, or an email to the airline company to notify them of the possibility of microbes on the plane. If you actually see trash, leftover food, or any such microbe-love, you’ll have more than just one reason to leave that note.
You may also advise them of steps to take to clean up their airplanes better like use solutions like BactiBarrier along with electro-static application for long term protection. BactiBarrier is environmentally safe and will microbial exposure to air travelers between cabin cleanings. You’d not only help the airline provide better service but also contribute to the society.
If you would like to learn more about BactiBarrier or how SanAirIAQ can help you staff clean and safe, contact us TODAY via our website!