Leanna Coy, a Connecticut–based flight attendant, shared upsetting images of the toenail clippings a passenger left behind after a recent flight. Many viewers found it revolting
A flight attendant has sounded the alarm after a truly terrible revelation regarding plane seats came to light.
It has long been established that taking off your shoes on a plane is a bad idea—especially if you’re planning on trekking to the toilet. Going one step further and removing your socks is even more taboo.
If it can be imagined, there is a foot-related act that is even more controversial. On a recent flight a barefoot passenger decided to spend the dead time in the air clipping their toenails and then leaving the clippings on the plane floor.
Leanna Coy, a Connecticut–based flight attendant, shared upsetting images of the toenail clippings a passenger left behind after a recent flight. She wrote, “Those are toenails,” alongside a trigger warning for viewers with weak stomachs on her TikTok video.
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Many such viewers piled into the comments below, arguing that the pedicuring was a sin with few comparisons. “Straight to jail,” one cried. Another demanded that the person be added to the “no-fly list.”
Sometimes it can be tricky to work out what to wear on a flight. Fortunately, Kate Van Dyke, who serves as Travel and Leisure’s associate social media editor, has some helpful tips.
She urged travelers to “leave the open-toed shoes in your suitcase,” explaining that you’ll “be doing your neighbor a huge favor.”
The expert also cautioned that it’s “probably been a while since that carpet and under the seats were deep cleaned.”
But what makes exposing your bare feet on an aircraft so revolting?
Removing your footwear during flight subjects your feet to numerous bacteria and potential dangers.
Aeroplane floors are seldom given a proper scrub between journeys, meaning passengers risk encountering bacteria, fungi, and viruses that could trigger infections like athlete’s foot, plantar warts, or potentially more serious skin conditions—particularly if you’ve got any cuts or grazes.
Carpet surfaces frequently harbor bodily fluids, food spillages, and various other nasties, heightening the chances of picking up something unpleasant. Moreover, the arid cabin atmosphere and cramped conditions can leave your skin more vulnerable to irritation and cracking, which only amplifies infection risks.
While the likelihood of contracting something genuinely serious remains fairly minimal for most healthy individuals, it’s typically more sanitary to keep your footwear—or at minimum your socks—firmly in place throughout your flight, particularly during loo visits, since what appears to be water might actually be something considerably more revolting.
Kate also advised against wearing strong fragrances during flight. She explained that scents spread far and wide in an enclosed cabin and your favorite perfume may be overpowering to others.