Don't Ever Go Barefoot on Planes, According to These Reddit FAs
What are some of the grossest things that can happen on planes? Do you go barefoot on planes? Would you walk barefoot through the locker room of your gym? How about on a New York City sidewalk?
In case you're still not convinced that it's a bad idea to not at least keep your socks on when flying, consider that planes are just glorified metal tubes hurtling through space with up to hundreds of humans in a hermetically sealed environment. Science states that what goes in to the human body – whether it's the first-class delicacies or the disgusting mush and cardboard some airlines pass off as meals – must come out. And unfortunately, what comes out doesn't always end up where it ought.
Perhaps you know all of the statistics, but still can't quite visualize the horror. Let these flight attendants of Reddit disabuse you of that innocence.
"Please do not ever walk into a toilet with bare feet. I promise you, 9 times out of 10, that is not water on the floor. Also please don't try and have sex in them, you are so obvious and it is filthy. The toilets are often absolutely disgusting and get deep cleaned only at the end of a route... For us this could be from one side of the world to the other... imagine how lovely they are at the end of a 12 hour flight with 200 people using them."– HausofDarling
"Had a 21-year-old male come to the back galley, puked all over it twice, then proceeded to projectile vomit on the aircraft door before heading into the lavatory and then puking again. There were 2 of us in onboard "hazmat" suits cleaning it up, while a lady is demanding for a cup of water. [Another time,] a man had explosive diarrhea which flooded the lavatory and soaked into the carpet down the aisle. Had to divert because of the stench." – PeanutSlinger
"It's not actually illegal to join the mile high club. It's just super rude. Don't try it on a plane with only two lavs on your way to Vegas at 10:00 in the morning. If you really want to, take an international redeye. The plane will be bigger, the lights will be off, and there's curtains around the eight lavs. Have a party. In that gross, gross, lavatory. They're grosser than the tray tables." – Writingd3sk
"I'm an ex-flight attendant! I flew for a middle eastern airline from 2013-2016. It is not water on the lavatory floors. It is pee. Wear your shoes. People are generally disgusting on planes. I once found human feces under a seat. Planes are cleaned between sectors (at least at my airline they were, not sure about US flights where they do multiple sectors a day), but still, consider that before you put your stuff everywhere." – boopboopster
"So many incidents occur on the plane that every day passengers don't see or consider. My last flight an elderly man accidentally shit on the floor, stepped in it, and walked on like it was nothing. DO NOT WALK AROUND BAREFOOT. Pee and poop happens, all over. I feel like I witness an "accident" regularly; in their seat or in the lav. People get nose bleeds, or their wounds open. Obviously when we land, it is thoroughly cleaned. But inflight our resources are limited." – seeyou_never
"I once had a guy with horrible food poisoning puke all over the lavatory. It was in the sink, all over the walls, all over the floor.. He came out to apologize and then went back in... I had to teach him how to unlock the lavatory from the outside so he wouldn't destroy the other two on the plane. Once we landed, we had to have people from biohazard prevention (Cuba) come, and they grounded the plane and quarantined the pax and crew for 12 hours." – fauxfurisforpeasants
Anywhere else to avoid on planes?
It turns out that tray tables and seat-back pockets are some of the worst germ-breeding offenders.
"DON'T CHANGE YOUR BABY'S DIAPER ON THE TRAY TABLE. This also happens all the time. It's unsanitary and people use the tray table to eat, put their personal things on, etc." – seeyou_never
"People frequently do disgusting things on their tray tables (I've seen people change diapers, clip toenails and wipe boogers to name a few), and they are not always properly sanitized between flights. Wipe them down yourself before eating off of them." – boopboopster
"Do not eat food dropped on a tray table – they are never cleaned, and the number of people who change nappies on them is crazy!" – huse789
"Yup. The tray tables are gross. Can't even remember how many times I've seen babies changed on them, people puke on them, people bleed on them . . . They're supposed to be cleaned nightly, but I wouldn't put food directly on them. Nope nope nope!" – Writingd3sk
"I ALWAYS recommend you never, ever, ever, EVER use or put anything in the seat pocket. They are cleared of rubbish but are never 'cleaned'. I have pulled out and seen all sorts been pulled out from there. Dirty tissues, sick bags, knickers, socks, people's feet (people seem to curl up into a fetal position by putting their feet in the seat pocket), finger and toe nail [clippings], gum, half-sucked sweets, apple cores... and then next flight you go and put your phone/laptop/iPad in there." – HausofDarling
"We almost never clean the pockets in the seat backings. Reach in there at your own risk..." – duke_nukem_king
"Not on my flight, but a man took a sh*t in the middle of the aisle and wiped his ass with the curtain that separates the business cabin from the rest of the cattle." – PeanutSlinger
"Don't sit on pillows. Been trying to think of the best way to say it... People who don't want to leave a spot on the seat often sit on them. (Think an overfull adult diaper or the like.)" – tv_junkie_75
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.