There are really just a few places on a plane that are uniquely dirty and disgusting. There’s the toilet seat (and floor) in the lavatory. There’s the lavatory sink – and the water faucet handle. And there’s your tray table.
A reader shared their experience with an American Airlines tray table on August 18th’s fligh 605 from Miami to New York LaGuardia that elevated that 737’s tray table over the heights of uncleanliness achieved in a plane’s lavatory.
- A woman on the flight placed “her dirty, sock‑covered feet on the tray table”
- She was blocking the emergency exit with her oversized carry-on that didn’t fit underneath the seat where she’d placed it.
- Flight attendants made multiple passes down the aisle and ignored both the breach of protocol and the breach of safety.
This is a good reason to always carry sanitizing wipes and clean the tray table (as well as armrest, headrest and seat back screen prior to use (that last item, of course, if you’re flying an airline other than American).
Remember when airlines gave you these things prior to the pandemic? You can usually still ask for one on United. Remember when they did electrostatic spraying? Now there’s little time for cleaning crews to even pick up trash between flights.
We’ve certainly seen a passenger lie down and prop their bare foot on a tray table. That was on Delta. And a United Airlines flight attendant reportedly once offered a passenger a $1000 voucher to take their feet off the tray table. So this isn’t just an American Airlines passenger problem (or a Spirit one).
Garsh… Gary sure does like them foot-stuffs a lot lately… huhyuck!
Please I must have face pics to match the filthy feet. I am told the voodoo dolls will be more effective.
Maryland foot shaming works best with a face and name. We need to take a picture ask the person where they are from and then their name.
If asked why tell them they will have 15 min of fame
Maryland foot shaming works best with a face and name. We need to take a picture ask the person where they are from and then their name.
If asked why tell them they will have 15 min of fame.
@tomri. Yes.
@Maryland @tomri — I suppose we can make an exception to the ‘no kink-shaming, unless kink-shaming is your kink’ made-up rule at VFTW… so, shame away!
I’m still waiting on @shoeguy for his ‘hot take’ on all the latest foot stuff; is it wrong of me to still want an ‘expert’ opinion on such things, or are we still in the ‘do your own research’ era? *sigh*
I probably have eaten there.
@1990. No ” kink shaming ” here. ( Glass houses, stones and so on. ) This is an abuse of public space. It takes a village to encourage respect for others that have never been taught empathy. Thinking of you POTUS
I have not seen a person allowed to keep a personal item blocking feet passage in an exit row before. This potentially endangers not only a few people, but quite a few. I wish there was a way to consult the captain. Maybe the purser would have made a change. There should be a way to alert anonymously so retaliation doesn’t take place.
@Maryland — Oh, yes… the fish rots at the head, they say. What a sad example He sets.