Pilots Reveal Reasons Why Don't Take Off Your Shoes on a Plane

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – People who usually travel by plane may be familiar with the various changes that occur in the body. On a flight cruising 40,000 feet in the air, passengers may experience stuffy ears, dehydration and a bloated stomach. This is because the pressure, temperature, oxygen levels in the cabin fluctuate, and humidity levels are lower than on the plains.

Apart from this discomfort, passengers are not advised to take off their shoes or footwear during the flight. What is the reason?

Patrick Smith of Ask the Pilot that in general airplane cabins are not very clean. Although the air inside an aircraft is filtered and circulated, other surfaces do not always receive the same treatment.

“The cabin is cleaned before every flight, but the cleaning can be more haphazard if there is only 15 or 20 minutes to complete it,” he said, as quoted by Travel + LeisureWednesday (28/2/2024).

This means that cabin cleaning can be as simple as throwing away rubbish left in the seat back pocket and wiping frequently touched surfaces such as toilet door handles.

Basically, planes do undergo thorough cleaning, but not very often. The frequency varies according to airline schedules, but deep cleaning is usually done once every four to six weeks.

Outside of these deep cleanings, carpets are usually only vacuumed when time permits, and cleaned when necessary. When something (food, drink, bodily fluids) is spilled, the cleaner will remove the stain, but will not necessarily disinfect the entire area where germs spread.

Potential danger if you don't wear footwear on the plane

“Those who decide to go barefoot may contract bacteria and viruses that can negatively impact their health. Additionally, the concern of contracting a fungal infection is always present,” said David Krause, owner of SyQuest USA, which produces cleaning products used on airplanes.

What's worse, the liquid on the toilet floor is not necessarily cleaned by the flight attendants in the middle of the flight, which means passengers could step in urine.

Luckily, airplane cleaning routines have changed a bit due to the pandemic. “The arrival of COVID-19 has impacted how we clean aircraft,” Krause said.

“More disinfectant is now being used on the floors and the cleaning process is a little more detailed in an effort to ensure there are no traces of the virus left behind that could potentially infect crew members or passengers,” he explained:

Nonetheless, as travel returns to normal, it would not be surprising if airline cleaning protocols revert to old habits.

In fact, tray tables are the most germ-infested surfaces on a plane, so make good use of alcohol wipes and wipe down any objects you will touch or use, once you get on the plane.

Apart from maintaining cleanliness, you also have to respect other passengers, so don't take off your shoes on the plane.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(hsy/hsy)