Parents slammed for disgusting behaviour on flight that endangers others – as cabin crew warn it’s very common
A PASSENGER was left fuming after a recent flight when a couple in front of her on the plane changed their baby’s nappy using their tray table.
Most people would agree that it’s common courtesy for parents to use the toilet to clean up after their kids have made a mess, so to speak.
However, not all of them follow the etiquette and some expose the smells to everyone else on board the plane.
That’s exactly what happened on a flight not long ago and it left at least one woman on the plane absolutely disgusted.
Just to check other people found the couple’s behaviour unacceptable, she told her story on Reddit and asked if she was in the right.
She wrote: “I was on a flight for several hours today, seated behind a couple with a baby.
“What got to me was the couple changing their baby’s extremely stinky #2 diaper right in the middle of their seats, using the mom’s food tray as a changing table.
“We were at the back of the plane right by the bathrooms, which I confirmed had baby changing tables when I had to go back there to throw up after the smell hit me.”
The woman initially kept quiet, but eventually had to ask the couple to use the toilets when they went to change their child’s nappy for a second time.
She continued: “I didn’t say anything the first time, but the second time, I asked if they could please go use the plane bathroom instead of exposing everyone on the plane to the smell.
“The mom went off on me and said I had no idea how stressful it is to travel with an infant, which is true — I don’t have kids.”
However, the flight attendants and pilot agreed with the woman, with the cabin crew asking the parents to use the toilet and the pilot making announcement about it over the plane’s PA system.
Other Reddit users also agreed that the parents should have been using the facilities provided, rather than improvising with the tray tables.
One wrote: “There are changing tables in the bathrooms. That’s what they are for.”
Another said: “Basic rules of baby changing, don’t do it where people eat or where people are in close proximity. If you have a choice always use the changing tables.”
A third added: “Yes, flights are stressful for parents and their children, but that’s no excuse to be inconsiderate and downright gross.”
Experts have also warned that nappy changing in public environments can even put other people at risk of illnesses, especially if the parents don’t wash their hands after contact.
Dr. Ketan Shah, a gastroenterologist from California told Memorial Care that “Millions of bacteria normally live on our hands, and the number of bacteria doubles after using the restroom,” including if you don’t wash your hands after changing a nappy.
Dr Anjali Vora, an infectious disease physician, added: “Bacteria and viruses from our hands can easily spread to environmental surfaces in our home and stay present for hours in some cases, and lead to potentially serious infections in others.”
Worryingly, flight attendants have previously revealed that this behaviour is not uncommon – and to make matters worse, that tray tables aren’t always cleaned between flights.
One wrote on Reddit: “Can’t even remember how many times I’ve seen babies changed on them, puke on them, people bleed on them…
“They’re supposed to be cleaned nightly, but I wouldn’t put food directly on them. Nope nope nope!”
Another said: “If you’re flying short haul, definitely bring antibac wipes or sanitiser.”
Meanwhile, this flight attendant revealed one drink you should never order on a flight.
Another explained which clothes you should never wear on board a plane and why.