LONDON, ENGLAND — A flight attendant has warned passengers not to drink coffee or tea on planes. She revealed that the water used for these drinks shares the same source as the rest of the plane.
The warning came from flight attendant Riley Stellato. She made a video sharing her biggest pet peeve, which revealed that ordering coffee and tea on a flight should probably be avoided whenever possible.
While Stellato’s pet peeve was not that coffee or tea is ordered, she highlighted the lack of hygiene. BroBible, reporting on her story, cited an article from Food and Wine about why coffee and tea should be avoided on flights.
The article was based on another TikTok made by Kat Kalamani, who claims to have previously worked as a flight attendant for years. The simple answer is that it is not as sanitary as you might hope.
One Shared Water Tank
Aircrafts have one shared water tank. The water for toilets, washing hands, and making drinks all comes from the same source when you are on an airplane.
That is not inherently bad. But the problem is that those tanks are not exactly clean.
Frommer’s explained this by breaking down a study on airline water safety. The study rated the water of 11 major airlines and 12 regional ones on a five-point scale.
To have its water considered relatively clean and safe, the airline had to score a three. Only two major airlines and one regional airline included in the study managed to pass that three-point threshold.
This means that, according to that study, most airlines do not have water that is safe to drink.
Coffee Machines Not Cleaned Often
Kalamani claimed in her video that the water tanks are not cleaned often enough. She also said the coffee machines on planes are not cleaned often, if at all.
One budget airline avoids the risk of waterborne illness by simply not offering snacks or drinks.
How to Order Drinks
Returning to Stellato’s pet peeve TikTok that kicked off the conversation, she shared her biggest issue. She said flyers do not tell her their full request when they want a coffee.
Instead, she will make a coffee and give it to a passenger, who then asks for cream and sugar.
“In her video, she says, ‘I never understand why people don’t order, Hi, may I have a coffee with cream and sugar.'” As a flight attendant, she has an entire plane of passengers waiting to be asked if they want a drink.
Looking at the comments, Stellato’s pet peeve is shared by other flight attendants who decided to chime in. The recommendation for ordering coffee on a flight is to say exactly how you want your coffee when you first order it.
What This Means
The warning is important for travellers. It highlights the potential health risks associated with drinking coffee or tea on planes.
For airlines, the findings underscore the need for better cleaning and maintenance of water tanks and coffee machines.
What Happens Next
Travellers are advised to be cautious about what they drink on flights. They should also be clear when ordering their drinks.
For now, the focus is on raising awareness about airline hygiene. The coming months will reveal whether airlines will improve their practices.
