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Flight attendant reveals why you should never wear shorts on a plane

Flight attendant reveals why you should never wear shorts on a plane

You'll never make this mistake again

We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves too much, but it really does feel like summer is just around the corner.

With that in mind, we’re all thinking the same thing - where should we book our next flights to?

For many, the holiday starts on the plane. Sit back and relax with a clear mind as the only thing you need to worry about is what to order from the trolley.

Or not…

For many, the holiday starts on the plane.
Getty Stock Photo

TikTok has come to the rescue once again, with a flight attendant revealing the gross reason why you should never, ever, wear shorts on a plane - and we feel icky.

With many opting for comfort over style at the airport, shorts are a go-to for many.

But it turns out there is a way to get your cosy airport ‘fit wrong, after all.

The advice has gone viral, amassing almost five million views.

Would you think twice about wearing shorts on a plane?
TikTok/@tommycimato

Even if you’re jetting off somewhere tropical, flight attendant Tommy Ciato (@tommycimato) says you should always stick to full-length trousers.

He’s been busy sharing tips to ensure we all stay happy and healthy on our holidays - so listen up if you have a flight booked in the near future.

Tommy’s first tip - which should apply to all areas of your life actually - is to make sure you’re drinking enough water.

Tommy explained: “Stay hydrated. You wanna have about 16oz for every flight you go on, so keep that in mind.”

He also advised: “Don't feel afraid to let a flight attendant know if you're feeling sick. So if you need food, water, or an air sickness bag, please feel free to let us know.”

His next bit of advice was to never touch the flush button in the toilet with your bare hands, and the reason why is pretty self-evident - plenty of people have touched it before you with all kinds of germs on their hands.

You've also got to avoid touching toilet flush buttons too.
TikTok/@tommycimato

Tommy said: “Do not ever touch the flush button with your bare hands. It's honestly just super unsanitary and pretty gross, so when you flush, use a napkin or tissue that's in the lavatory.”

This is where is gets even more disgusting - the toilet isn’t even the dirtiest place on the plane.

A 2015 study actually found there were eight times more bacteria on the seatback trays than on the toilet flush button. Big yikes.

This is where the advice on shorts comes in. A lot of people pass through a plane, and schedules between flights can be pretty tight, often leaving only enough time for a quick cleanup rather than a deep clean.

With that in mind, it’s probably wise to make sure as little of your bare skin is coming into contact with these germ-infested surfaces as possible.


Tommy said: “Do not fall asleep or lean your head on the window. You are not the only that has done that and you don't know how many people or children have wiped their hands or other things all over the window.

“Don't or try not to wear shorts when you're on an airplane. It's the same thing as the window, you never know how clean it's gonna be, so if you have pants, you're gonna have less germs."

Well there you have it, and if you think leggings sound like a good alternative to shorts, then think again.

An aviation expert has said artificial fibres in leggings and yoga pants are particularly flammable if there’s a fire on the plane - and therefore a safety risk.

Packing just got that little bit harder, didn’t it?

Featured Image Credit: Kathrin Ziegler/standret/Getty Images

Topics: Travel, Real Life, TikTok, Plane Etiquette