If you’re the type who packs a little bottle of hand sanitiser and wipes down your tray table before takeoff, brace yourself: the dirtiest thing on your next flight isn’t the seatbelt buckle, the toilet handle, or even the tray table.
In fact, it’s something you’re almost certainly bringing on board yourself, and you probably never thought twice about it.
That’s right, folks. According to a recent study by JRPass.com, the filthiest item you’ll encounter on your travels is your very own passport. Yes, the same document you clutch tightly as you navigate security, customs, and boarding gates.
It turns out, your passport is a veritable petri dish, teeming with more bacteria than your shoes; seven times more, in fact!
Why Is Your Passport So Grubby?
Dr Primrose Freestone, Associate Professor in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester and author of the study, explains that it all comes down to our hands. Our hands are home to a bustling community of bacteria, fungi, and even viruses.
Every time you touch a surface in the airport (think escalator rails, check-in kiosks, security bins, and bathroom doors), you’re picking up a fresh batch of microbes. And where do those germs end up?
Right on your passport, as you hand it over to staff, tuck it into your bag, or flash it at the boarding gate.
She said: ‘Our hands are well known to be very well colonised by the bacteria and fungi and some viruses that normally live there. This means that, as well as our resident hand skin microbiome, our hands, when they touch any surface, pick up additional microbes present within the airport environment, which have the microbial deposits from the thousands of people who pass through each day.’
The more your passport is handled—by you, by airport staff, by customs officers—the more it becomes a hotspot for microbial hitchhikers. And unlike your hands, which (hopefully!) get washed regularly, your passport rarely gets a good clean.
It’s Not Just Your Passport
While your passport takes the dubious crown, it’s not the only offender. Your phone, for example, is another germ magnet, as are your travel clothes and, perhaps most disturbingly, your luggage.
Think about where those suitcase wheels have been: rolling through airport bathrooms, taxi ranks, and city streets. A previous study even found that suitcases can be dirtier than public toilets! And if you’re in the habit of storing snacks or personal items in your luggage, you might want to reconsider.
Flight attendants have also revealed that seatback pockets are rarely cleaned and have seen everything from dirty nappies to used sick bags stuffed inside. As one US cabin crew member put it: ‘They’re dirtier than the lavatories, they’re dirtier than the seat cushion, and they’re dirtier than the tray tables.’
A Few Extra Tips For Older Travellers
As we get older, our immune systems can become a little less robust, so it’s even more important to be vigilant about hygiene when travelling. Consider carrying a small pack of antibacterial wipes and a travel-sized hand sanitiser in your carry-on.
If you have any health conditions that make you more susceptible to infections, chat with your doctor before you travel for personalised advice.
Key Takeaways
- The dirtiest item you’ll come across on a plane isn’t something provided onboard, but actually your own passport, which carries a high load of bacteria thanks to frequent handling in airports.
- A study found passports had seven times more bacteria than shoes, due to being touched by thousands of hands during airport and travel processes.
- Experts recommend washing your hands or using hand sanitiser regularly while travelling, as well as cleaning your passport, phone, travel clothes, and shoes to minimise germ exposure.
- Luggage, especially the wheels and internal pockets, can harbour even more germs than a public toilet, so it’s wise to clean your suitcase and avoid storing food and personal items inside.
Have you ever had a travel experience where you were shocked by the state of cleanliness (or lack thereof)? Do you have any tried-and-true tips for staying healthy on the go? Share your stories and advice in the comments below!
