A long-haul flight attendant has issued a warning to passengers advising them to avoid using the seat pocket on planes.
Taking to Reddit,the flight attendant with the username of HausOfDarling said: “I always recommend you never, ever, ever, ever use or put anything in the seat pocket.
“They are cleared of rubbish but are never cleaned.”
The flight attendant added that items found in seat pockets included “dirty tissues, sick bags, knickers, socks, gum, half-sucked sweets, apple cores.”
The stark warning comes as Britain prepares itself for another flu and cold season.
And, while cleaning staff do their best between flights, there is limited time for a deep clean, especially on short-haul flights.
According to the flight attendant, seat pockets, tray tables, safety cards, and lavatory door handles are among the dirtiest spots on the plane.
In fact, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, swab tests have previously revealed that seat headrests were found to harbour harmful bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and E. coli.
The flight attendant also recommended bringing sanitising wipes and using hand sanitiser throughout the flight, particularly after touching common areas like overhead bins or tray tables.
The toilets themselves are cleaned regularly, but locks and door handles are often overlooked, the person claimed.
Anyone who travels on planes is advised to take extra precautions when using these shared surfaces.
Many people also have concerns about recycled air inside the plane.
However, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) stressed that the air on board is much cleaner than in most indoor environments.
Planes are fitted with HEPA filters, which remove 99.993 percent of airborne bacteria and viruses, and cabin air is refreshed 20-30 times per hour.