Sticky Surprises and Oozing Grit: The Dirty Truth About the Cleanliness of Airplanes

Another reason I’m happy to be booked on a JetBlue flight later this week: It’s the cleanest of the U.S. carriers, which, according to this not-for-the-squeamish story in Sunday’s New York Times, have generally been eschewing thorough cleanings in the name of cutting costs. “Seatback pockets hiding sticky surprises, carpets with patterns that can no longer conceal the curious stains, overripe lavatories and crevices oozing snack grit and plain old grime,” writes Jeff Bailey. “Increasingly, that describes the modern airliner, an untidy tube hurtling through the sky full of passengers who cannot wait to land and go wash their hands with disinfectant soap. Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but in the airline industry it has taken a back seat to financial survival.”

How bad did it get for some of airlines? Check out this anecdote about Delta:

While the industry standard for deep-cleaning a jetliner—a process similar to having your car professionally detailed—is roughly every 30 days, Delta had let its schedule lapse to every 15 to 18 months. That is akin to cutting your daily shower back to once every couple of weeks.

Some airlines, Bailey says, are now using their cleanliness and the newness of their planes as selling points. He points to this AirTran advertisement.

The story seems to be touching a nerve with travelers. It’s currently the fifth most e-mailed story on NYTimes.com.

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