Airplane seats may seem spotless to the naked eye, but they can actually be much dirtier than you might expect. Some passengers have reported disturbing incidents like seats that release thick clouds of dust or are coated in bodily fluids. However, it's not always easy to tell if an airplane seat is truly dirty. This small travel guide will explain how you can identify a dirty airplane seat and what to do if you encounter one. Let's get to the point!
Do you know what's living in your airplane seat?
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How frequently are airplane seats cleaned?
Cabin cleaning crews typically have a short window of just 30 to 40 minutes between flights to clean an aircraft. This results in a mostly surface-level clean of the cabin. While they may be able to pick up trash and vacuum up crumbs, they often don't have enough time to deeply clean the seat-back pockets, wipe down the tray tables, or do a thorough cleaning of the actual seats, according to the Wall Street Journal. In general, the seats only receive a deep clean when it's time to clean the entire cabin. This happens anywhere from once a month to once every 3 or more months, depending on the airline.
Signs of an unclean seat
Discoloration and staining are easier to spot on leather seats, but with cloth seats, it can be hard to see all the dirt and grime hidden in the fabric. Keep an eye out for any food or trash stuck in the crevices. The more junk you see around the edge of the seat, the less likely it is that someone cleaned it properly.
For cloth seats, there's a handy trick to check how dirty they are. Firmly slap the palm of your hand against the fabric. If the seat is dirty, you'll see a cloud of dust rise up. (But be sure to ask your neighbors first or try this before anyone else boards.) The more dust, the longer it's been since the seat was last cleaned.
You can also trust your nose. If something smells off, it might be from a messy previous passenger. They could have spilled food or even gotten sick during the flight. The cleaning crew may have wiped away the obvious stuff, but the smell can linger for hours.
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What to do if you encounter a dirty airplane seat
If you're worried about a dirty airplane seat, you can prepare by packing some helpful items in your carry-on bag. First, always travel with sanitizing wipes that you can use to clean common touchpoints like the armrests or tray table. If the seat is made of leather, you can also wipe down the seat itself. You could even bring a disposable airplane seat cover. While your fellow passengers might find it strange, this thin layer will prevent you from sitting on someone else's mess or germs.
If the seat is so dirty that you feel uncomfortable, politely ask a flight attendant if you can switch to another open seat. If there are empty seats, they should be able to accommodate your request. If you can't move but still have to take the flight, you can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation (DOT) after you land or contact the airline directly to express your concerns. You may receive a credit or miles for the inconvenience, but it's worth filing a complaint to encourage the airline to do a better job cleaning the seats in the future.
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In addition to our small travel guide, we would also like to provide you with some more useful information on traveling, which will be handy for those who prefer doing this by air.
If you use your own car to reach the airport, you know it's critical to park it safely for the duration of your trip. Almost every airport has special on-site parking for this purpose. However, travelers aren't ready to spend a lot of money at the beginning of their trip, as this option is pretty costly. So what should we do then?
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What is actually off-site parking, and which advantages has this parking type, you may ask? So let's take a closer look at this question.
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Secondly, off-site parking services are faster. It might seem that it's faster to park your car at the airport, but that's not always the case. Off-site parking offers you the following convenience: when you drive directly up to the entrance, a staff member pulls your luggage out of your vehicle and loads it into the shuttle. Then they park your car for you. After your baggage is loaded, you can take your seat in the shuttle, which will bring you and your bags to the airport. It's a hassle-free option that is usually faster.
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