Column: Airplanes are a germ hub

 With the Novel Coronavirus growing in number of infected people, airplane passengers are afraid to travel. This leads us to a new consideration: should we wonder how clean are the planes?

Tray tables on planes are found to be the dirtiest places on the planes with 2,155 bacterial colonies forming on one of them, according to the Washington Post.

American Airlines, Delta Air lines, Southwest Airlines and many others confirmed that their aircraft go through only a limited cleaning between flights. 

Used tampons, sandwiches, condoms and dirty diapers all have been found in the seat pockets of airplanes flight attendants have reported to the Marketplace.

From Porter, Air Canada and WestJet flights, 100 samples were collected from the 18 short-haul flights to be analyzed at a lab. The results came back with a high level of bacteria, yeast and mold that could put a passenger at risk for infection. 

According to the lab results, the headrest is exposed most to bacteria. 

A former airline flight attendant shared that the staff have typically less than 15 minutes to prepare the plane between flights, because of that, it is difficult to properly disinfect the aircraft. 

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Delta has more than 200 million passengers fly to a total of 300 destinations and over 50 countries every year, amounting to roughly 44,000 flights and 2.7 million passengers daily.

The number of passengers being exposed to potentially dangerous bacteria on planes is scary. 

To have a lower chance of exposure to germs and to be safe when flying, consider these tips: 

Bathrooms are not the dirtiest place on the plane, but consider touching the handle to flush with tissue. 

Airlines don't have time to wipe down the tray between flights, so be sure to bring and use your own disinfecting wipes or a tray cover. 

It’s impossible to avoid touching your seatbelt buckles, but the best thing you can do is to wipe it clean before using it. 

You may have to overlook the seat’s headrest because each contains germs from previous passengers.

With circumstances surrounding the current spread of coronavirus, be cautious when traveling using any means, bus, train or plane.

As coronavirus cases are increasing hourly in the United States, now is a time for increased awareness and to diligently protect yourself and your family.