Flight Attendants Are Losing It Over This One Nasty Passenger Habit

Flight attendants already deal with enough. They’re the ones keeping you alive at 35,000 feet while riding out turbulence, enforcing rules, and serving drinks to dozens of needy people. They handle everything from mid-flight medical scares to grown adults losing it over extra Biscoff cookies.

What they shouldn’t have to deal with? Watching people stroll barefoot into the airplane bathroom like it’s a beachfront cabana.

And yet, this happens. Often. “Passengers use the bathrooms all the time on the airplane with either bare feet or with only socks on,” said flight attendant Elizabeth Regan in an interview with HuffPost.

And if your immediate thought is “ew,” congratulations—you have basic hygiene awareness.

Flight Attendants Hate When Passengers Do This

For those in need of a reminder, the floor in airplane lavatories is not clean. Like, not at all. “During our training, we learned that the liquid on the lavatory floor is often more than just water,” said Hilary Clark, a former commercial flight attendant and current inflight services director. That mystery puddle isn’t mineral water from the Alps—it’s everything from spilled coffee to urine to things we won’t describe before lunch.

The flush button alone has been found to carry 265 bacterial colonies per square inch, per a TravelMath study. That’s filthier than your average toilet seat. And the rest of the bathroom? Equally revolting. The door handles, faucet knobs, and that suspiciously damp floor.

“Walking barefoot exposes your feet to bacteria, viruses, and fungi,” said Dr. Dahlia Philips, an infectious disease specialist. And if you’ve got even a small cut or crack on your heel? That’s like rolling out a red carpet for microbes.

Even socks won’t save you. “It’s unhygienic and should always be avoided,” said Clark. If you must pad around the cabin like a sleepy toddler, bring disposable slippers. Or better yet, just put your damn shoes back on like a civilized human.

Also, do everyone a favor and hit the airport bathroom before you board. “It’s mind-boggling that you wouldn’t use the restroom while you’re in the terminal,” Regan said. Big stalls, actual soap, and no midair splash zone.

Flying is never glamorous. But it doesn’t have to be disgusting. Keep your feet covered. The crew already has enough to handle without watching you raw-dog the lavatory floor.