American flight attendant reveals why you should never eat off airplane’s tray tables: “Why do people do this?”
A Texas-based flight attendant has warned passengers about one of the dirtiest surfaces they regularly touch on a flight. She said it’s the tray table. According to the cabin crew member, some parents change their babies’ dirty diapers on the same fold-down tables where passengers later place their food, drinks and personal belongings.Janae, a flight attendant who shares travel and workplace experiences on TikTok, spoke about the issue in a video shared with her more than 22,000 followers. She explained why she avoids eating directly from airplane tray tables and why she is cautious about touching items left on them. Her warning has drawn attention to an everyday part of flying that passengers often overlook.
“People change their kids’ diapers on those tray tables”
In her video, Janae said she does not eat off airplane tray tables or place her personal belongings directly on them. “People change their kids’ diapers on those tray tables on airplanes; that’s why, as a flight attendant, I don’t ever eat off of those tray tables, I don’t put any of my stuff on those tray tables,” she said.The concern is that a surface used for diaper changes may later be used to hold snacks, meals or other items. Passengers may not know what happened on the tray table before they sat down. Janae also described how she protects the surface when she needs to use it.“If I have to, I take a trash bag and lay it over the surface,” she said. She added that simply wiping the table with a disinfectant wipe may not always be enough. “Even wiping it down with Lysol wipes,” she continued, “the area has to stay wet for 10 minutes for it to actually be fully effective.”
Why she refuses to take dirty diapers from passengers
Janae also spoke about a situation she says flight attendants encounter during flights when parents approach crew members with their child’s used diaper after changing it. “Why do people do this? Why do people change their kids’ dirty diapers on tray tables where people are going to be putting their stuff and eating? Because they don’t think,” she said.She then described what happens when passengers try to hand over the waste. “As a flight attendant, people will come up and try to hand you their dirty diapers and we’re like, ‘No! Let me get gloves at the bare minimum.’” Janae said she does not want to take the diaper even when wearing gloves, adding that some parents become offended by her refusal.“I won’t even take it with gloves but the parents act offended at that,” she said. Instead, she said she gives parents garbage bags and expects them to manage their child’s waste themselves.
Flight attendant warns passengers about other dirty airplane surfaces
Janae also described how she protects the surface when she needs to use it.
Tray tables are not the only parts of an aircraft that have been highlighted by flight attendants. Janae also criticised passengers who expect crew members to handle vomit in their barf bags, those who refuse to wash their hands after using the lavatory and travellers who walk barefoot through the cabin. Her concerns are part of a wider conversation among cabin crew about the surfaces passengers touch during a flight.Cher, a Texas-based flight attendant, previously shared warnings about some of the dirtiest areas of an Airbus. Her list included window shades, carpets, overhead bins and safety straps. Another flight attendant, Josephine Remo, separately highlighted the bathroom sink faucet and door lock as areas that passengers should be careful about touching.These warnings focus on places that may be overlooked when passengers think about airplane cleanliness.
What passengers can do before eating on a flight
Janae’s warning does not mean that every airplane tray table is contaminated with baby waste. Her comments describe what she says she has encountered as a flight attendant. However, passengers can take a few simple precautions:Clean the tray table before using it: Wipe the surface with a suitable disinfectant product and follow the instructions on its label.Avoid placing food directly on the table: Use a clean plate, wrapper or other suitable barrier.Wash or sanitise your hands before eating: This is especially useful after touching shared surfaces.Keep personal belongings off the tray table: Bags, phones and other items can pick up dirt from frequently touched surfaces.Dispose of diapers responsibly: Parents should use the appropriate waste-disposal arrangements rather than handing used diapers to crew members or leaving them on tray tables.
