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
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees