Planes have the amazing capability of whizzing through the air at speeds of up to 300 miles an hour. Commercial airlines transport hundreds of thousands of people per day through hundreds of thousands of airspace. To help make the journey more comfortable, airlines hire cabin crew to ensure the safety and stability of their passengers. Despite all the efforts they've made, air travel can be uncomfortable sometimes and here are six insider secrets from actual cabin crew, as shared on a Quora question, "What do flight attendants know about flying that they don't tell passengers?".
1. The early bird misses the turbulence
Anya, a frequent flyer shares with the NZ Herald, "One of the things, that flight attendants won't tell you, is that morning flights are better because the air is less bumpy." In addition, she adds that thunderstorms tend to occur later in the afternoon.
2. Bathrooms are not the dirtiest places on the plane
A flight attendant reveals that from a study conducted by microbiologists, airplane tray tables tested to having the most bacteria living in them with an average of 2155 colony-forming units (CFUs) per square inch.
3. Airplane food could be worse than you think
If you're one of the many who hates airplane food, here's more reason for despair. Cabin crew has revealed that due to planes chasing deadlines, food for passengers may often be left on stock for up to 3 days when served. However, before you get mad at your flight attendant, the reveal claims that due to pressure to serve passengers, flight attendants often have to give up their own meal allowances in order to meet passenger demands.
4. You may not smoke on a plane, although technically, you can
With No Smoking signs plastered everywhere, it's surprising that some passengers still light up while in the air. For this very purpose, cabin crew are equipped with emergency ashtrays, as small cigarette butts cold cause a fire when thrown into waste disposal.
5. Flying with a cold can be detrimental to your health
One unlucky flight attendant could not miss her shift even if she had a cold. Due to cabin pressure changes, her cold blocked the pressure adjusment in her ears and she was left with a hearing impairment which lasted a whole week.
6. Prepare for take-off
If you get airsick, be sure to take your medicine before actually boarding the plane. This allows the medicine to release and take effect before any actual dizziness kicks in.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
