10 Tricks That You Can Use To Keep You From Getting Sick On A Plane

Aug 24, 2018

No matter how often you fly, traveling can be a challenge. You have to deal with howling children, security lines and long layovers. Even if you are an experienced traveler, all of these hassles can become annoying. 

One of the worst parts of flying is the stale air. During your flight, you are trapped on a plane that has recycled air. The same germ-filled air gets recirculated through the cabin over and over again. Even if you are not prone to getting sick, a long flight can increase the odds that you will become ill. 

Each cough and sneeze on the plane is just another sign that germs are filling the air. Research studies show that about 20 percent of fliers end up getting sick after their plane ride. While it might seem like there is no way to avoid an illness, there are a few tricks that you can use to avoid getting sick. 

Low Cabin Humidity Makes An Illness More Likely 

You may have noticed how your skin feels after you fly. After a long flight, your lips become chapped from the dryness. This is because the humidity level declines when you are high up. When the humidity level falls, it dries up the mucus in your throat and nose. Normally, this mucus helps to defend your body from an illness. The low humidity means that you are more likely to get sick. When you add recirculated, germ-filled air to the equation, your chances of getting ill increase drastically. Thankfully, there are a few simple ways to avoid getting sick when you travel on an airplane. 

Hand sanitizer is not enough to kill all of the germs. If you want to keep germs from hiding on your hands, you need to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Make sure to scrub under your nails and between each finger to thoroughly clean your hands. An estimated 70 percent of germs hide in these spots, so make sure to wash your hands often whenever you fly. 

A tray table might be a convenient spot for your meal or for holding your laptop, but it is filled with germs. These tables are rarely cleaned, so they quickly become covered in germs. Everyone touches the tray table on their flight, so this is one of the most germ-covered parts of the plane. If you want to avoid getting sick, do not use your tray table. 

Your body needs mucus to defend against a cold. Since the airplane is filled with dry air, you have to stay hydrated. Hot water works better than cold water for hydration. It keeps the membranes intact so that you are protected from germs. 

A window seat is not just a great spot for the view. Because of its location, this seat limits your contact with other people. While you still have to protect yourself in other ways, the window seat will help you low your exposure levels to germs. 

It seems like the air blowing on you would make you sick, but it turns out that this is not the case. The air vent helps air circulate better so that germs stay away from your seat. 

You never want to use the pillows and blankets on a plane. While pillows and blankets are sometimes washed and replaced, this is only true for the first flight of the day. After that initial flight, the blankets and pillows are reused. Germs can live for up to four days on plastic surfaces, so the pillow can easily become filled with germs. Bring your own blanket or pillow if you plan on needing one. 

If you want to avoid an illness, you need to be willing to move. When someone sits down to you and starts sneezing, ask the flight attendant if you can move to an empty seat. If you sit next to, behind or in front of a sick passenger, you are more likely to get ill. The worst thing that can happen is that the flight attendant says no, so try asking for a seat change. 

Your immune system needs sleep to fight off germs. To make sure that your body is protected, make sure to get plenty of sleep before your next flight. 

An estimated 50 percent of people go to the bathroom on a flight. This means that the bathroom has germs from half of the plane's passengers. If you want to avoid getting sick, use a paper towel to open and close the bathroom door. 

Heat kills bacteria and germs in food. If you are served a meal on the flight, make sure that it is hot before you eat it. 

What do you think? Do you use any of these tricks to protect yourself on a long flight?