With Thanksgiving upon us and even more winter holidays just on the horizon, this week officially kicks off the busiest month of the year for U.S. travelers. And if you’re one of the many people who will be boarding a flight, you may want to take some advice from a physician who has spent years keeping the world’s top athletes healthy.
Seats matter—not just to get on and off the plane faster, but also to keep you healthier.
Finnoff says if you want to steer clear of germs, choose a window seat, and try to find one towards the middle of the aircraft. This ensures you stay away from the plane’s high-traffic areas, like the entrance of the plane and the bathrooms.
The study tracked movements in the economy cabin during transcontinental flights and found that passengers in window seats were far less likely to get up during flights, with only about 40% doing so compared to 80% of those in aisle seats. Window-seaters also averaged just 12 contacts with other passengers per flight, compared to 64 for aisle seaters.
But the most critical surface you should clean? The tray table.
For comparison, a typical home toilet seat has roughly 172 colony-forming units per square inch.
The discrepancy exists in part because airline crews have limited time between flights for thorough cleaning, while restrooms are cleaned more frequently.
Finnoff made special mention of the overhead air vent. What you want to do is direct the air nozzle between you and the person next to you to create a barrier for germs.
Sleep. Yes, sleep. It’s not just nice to help shut out the world—and your fellow, albeit likely obnoxious, travelers around you—but it also boosts your immune system. Like most research out there will tell you, Finnoff says travelers need seven to eight hours of restful sleep each night to help prevent illness.
