What Airlines Don't want you to know

[Matt_L]

FROM dirty drinking water and food that's been on the floor to bomb threats and creaky old planes, we dish up the dirt the airlines don't want you to know.

Sally, a flight attendant with a major US airline, and Brian (not their real names), a Sydney-based flight attendant tell us the industry’s best kept-secrets - in their own words.

Food that has fallen on the floor may end up on your plate

Sally: “Once a whole food carrier crashed on the galley floor during takeoff because the flight attendant had not checked the latches. We had to scramble to salvage what meals we could that had fallen on the galley floor.”

Our tap water may make you sick

Brian: “The tap water onboard isn't recommended for drinking. The water tanks onboard planes are hardly ever changed or serviced and I can guarantee you the water isn't triple-layer-filtered or processed in any fancy way like that.

Our planes are not as new as you may think

Brian: “Some planes can indeed be very old and here in Australia one particular airline does operate many old aircraft. Most of them are airworthy but it all depends on the maintenance of the plane.”

We may run out of food

Brian: “Catering does tend to be scarce on a terminating flight especially when it comes to perishables, mainly because stocks are depleted in catering itself and it also avoids wastage as no perishables are stored.”

You may end up freezing if you’re not prepared

Brian: “During late night flights aircraft temperature drops significantly. Most of the time this is done intentionally because if it’s nice, warm and cosy people get too comfortable in their sleep and don't move around as much which would in a worst case scenario cause deep vein thrombosis.

“We tend to get the most medical situations on night flights because of people collapsing as they get up after hours of sitting upright and sleeping. The best way to get around it is to firstly check whether or not the airline you're flying with supplies their passengers with blankets. If not, make sure to pack a light blanket or wear a nice warm jumper.”

Our cabin air may make you sick

Brian: “Cabin air may not be the best but it isn't recycled air as everyone makes it out to be… if you're on a long flight, to avoid looking like a prune at the end of it, be sure to bring moisturizer with you and moisturize every inch of your body.”


Very reassuring messages for the traveller of the general public

I've put a bit of the article up there but rest can be seen at http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/...014090,00.html

[Sarah C]

Bit of a non story - how many "inside stories" are there in every industry? How many people drop food on the floor and prepare food incorrectly? Most seasoned travellers wouldn't find any of those points to be news.

I like this one "Our planes are not as new as you may think......". Fair dinkum, people these days think aircraft over 10 years old are "elderly". Aircraft are not cars! They are designed to fly 20 plus years and the aircraft here are very well maintained. And yet in the US, there are aircraft that are 30-40 years old flying around.........

[Matt_L]

Yeah, I find it incredibly hilarious they get flight attendants to comment on the serviceability of an aircraft. As if they'd have a clue!

Recently on a flight from Syd-Mel i was on, on a QF 767 a middle aged couple said to the f/a at the aerobridge will we make it to Melbourne in this thing?

Thought i had to laugh haha

[Marty H]

Somebody got sacked and wasnt happy about it................ thats what I can gather where this info has come from.

[Rhys Xanthis]

"Brian: “Some planes can indeed be very old and here in Australia one particular airline does operate many old aircraft. Most of them are airworthy but it all depends on the maintenance of the plane.”"

What is that, a way to pass off ozjet as Qantas or Virgin???

[Robert Zweck]

Never heard such garbage in my life.....

What about food that falls on a restaurant floor? Or a supermarket?

Is that worth writing more dopey newsaper articles?