"I'll Never Touch It Again"... The Dirtiest Spot on an Airplane

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article.

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] A flight attendant in the United States sparked controversy by revealing that the seatback pockets on airplanes are dirtier than toilet bowls.

According to the New York Post (NYP) recently, Brenda Orelus, a flight attendant from Miami, USA, posted a video titled "Do you want to know the dirtiest place on an airplane?" on her social media (SNS).

In the video, Orelus claimed that the pockets attached to the seatbacks inside the plane are the dirtiest. She said she had seen passengers throw various trash, food, and even baby diapers into the pockets during flights.

The problem is that these contaminated pockets are not cleaned separately. Orelus stated, "While airplane restrooms are cleaned regularly, the seatback pockets are not managed separately," adding, "As a result, the pockets are inevitably full of bacteria."

Other areas such as the air conditioners installed on the plane and the tables were also cited as spaces that are not properly maintained inside the cabin. Orelus said, "Many people adjust the air conditioner above the seats, but this area is also rarely cleaned and is unhygienic." Regarding the tables, she said, "I have often witnessed parents changing their baby's diapers on the tables," and recommended wiping them with disinfectant wipes before use.

Flight attendant Brenda Orelus from Miami, USA, revealed that the seatback pockets on airplanes are dirtier than toilet bowls. Photo by Brenda Orelus SNS capture

This approximately 30-second video had about 31,400 views as of the 27th. Many netizens who saw the video expressed concerns about cabin hygiene, saying things like "I never thought about this," "This is so disgusting," and "I will wear gloves the next time I fly." One netizen said, "I used to put my phone in the seatback pocket every time I flew," adding, "I will never touch it again."

Some netizens also shared their own experiences while using airplanes, such as "I once saw a passenger throw a diaper into the pocket," and "There were passengers who threw leftover sunflower seeds or used tissues there."

On the other hand, there was a rebuttal from cabin cleaners. According to NYP, one cleaner claimed, "Each plane has two teams: one team handles trash, and the other cleans with vacuum cleaners." Another cleaner said, "Whether cleaning is done depends on the time available before the plane is used again," adding, "Orelus is not wrong, but I cannot be sure that she is always right." This suggests that while cleaning is supposed to be done, sometimes it is skipped depending on the remaining time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.