Importance Score: 35 / 100 🔵
Concerns regarding airplane coffee hygiene have been brought to light by a flight attendant, advising passengers to reconsider ordering the beverage during flights.
Flight Attendant Discloses Unsanitary Practices with Airplane Coffee
Kevin, a flight attendant employed by a US airline, utilized a TikTok video to caution travelers against consuming hot coffee on airplanes. He asserted that the preparation methods could be highly unhygienic.
Pilot’s Cautionary Note on Water Tank Cleanliness
Kevin’s disclosure followed previous warnings from a pilot who advised flyers to avoid airplane coffee due to the infrequent cleaning of onboard water tanks.
The pilot stated, ‘This water is used to prepare coffee on board. The potential for mold and bacterial growth within these tanks is a significant concern.’
Unveiling Coffee Pot Cleaning Procedures
Supporting the pilot’s concerns, Kevin elaborated on the hygiene issues, focusing on the coffee pot cleaning procedures. He revealed that flight attendants are instructed to empty coffee pots in the airplane toilets.
He explained, ‘Contrary to expectation, we are directed to dispose of coffee remnants in the lavatory, not drains.’
‘To prevent spillage, the coffee jugs are maneuvered in close proximity to the toilet bowl, inevitably risking backsplash and potential contamination of the coffee maker,’ Kevin detailed.
A flight attendant with a US airline, Kevin, used TikTok to alert passengers about the unsanitary conditions associated with airplane coffee preparation.
A pilot had previously warned travelers against drinking airplane coffee, citing the ‘rare,’ if ever, cleaning of water tanks.
Concerns were raised regarding coffee pots being emptied into toilets, increasing the risk of ‘backsplash’ and contamination of the coffee maker.
‘The possibility of backsplash, carrying particles and bacteria back into the coffee pot, which then feeds directly into the coffee machine, is considerable,’ Kevin emphasized.
‘Unless your chosen airline provides espresso machines, I would strongly advise against ordering regular drip coffee,’ he concluded.
Public Reaction and Concerns
The online video rapidly gained traction, accumulating over 726,000 views and prompting apprehension among frequent coffee consumers who often purchase the drink onboard.
Comments from concerned viewers included:
- ‘Understood, I will never drink coffee on a plane again.’
- ‘Seriously, what the actual f***k, this situation warrants a formal regulatory investigation.’
- ‘Another flight attendant corroborated the claim: “As a fellow FA, I can confirm we are indeed required to discard coffee in the TOILET, and instances of coffee makers being inoperative due to ECOLI contamination in the water tank are not uncommon.”‘
- ‘The coffee revelation is truly upsetting.’