She’s not on board with this in-flight beverage.
“For any passengers out there, whether you are a frequent flyer, an occasional flyer, a seasonal flyer or will be a first-time flyer soon, I would like to say to you: never drink tap water from the plane bathroom,” flight attendant Celina Bedding told The Mirror on Monday.
“Many studies have shown it’s not sanitary for drinking. You may have seen the sign already as most planes have it by the tap. You may have thought it’s just a way to get you to buy a drink. But it’s actually for your own health. So definitely do not drink tap water on a plane.”
A 2019 study by Hunter College found that many airlines have possibly provided passengers with unhealthy drinking water.
The researchers recommend fliers only consume water from sealed bottles.
It would also be wise to not drink coffee or tea that was prepared on board, Bedding advised.
She said her favorite in-flight beverage is tomato juice, and while that might seem odd, there’s a scientific reason behind it.
Taste buds change in flight due to lower pressure and humidity inside the cabin. A study commissioned by German airline Lufthansa found that tomato juice has the most potent taste at 30,000 feet.
Bedding also urges passengers to “avoid plane food as much as you can” because the items often contain lots of salt and sugar to counteract the taste-bud-numbing effects of flying.
“The reason behind it is the fact that because of the cabin pressure we lose around 30% of our taste buds,” she explained. “So the companies that prepare food for the airlines add much more salt to it in order to have a nice flavor at 40,000 feet.”
Instead, Bedding suggests opting for a salad or fruit salad while traveling and also water “before, during and after a flight” to stay hydrated.
Another flight attendant recently shared tips on how to prevent in-flight meltdowns by children.
This too, of course, includes snacks to keep everyone happy.
