Inflight beverages have come to be an expected part of air travel. In fact, most of us probably look forward most to the drink cart making its way down the aisle. But according to one flight attendant, some of those drinks are riskier than others.
Kat Kamalani has made quite a name for herself on TikTok with her insider air travel tips. And she really does have great advice, like recommending a carry-on bag that can hold a week’s worth of clothes or giving the low down on how to be treated like royalty on a flight.
In a recent video titled, “Do Not Eat These Things On An Airplane,” Kamalani told viewers that they should “never, ever, ever consume any liquid that is not in a can or bottle.”
What was the reason behind this advice? The answer made our stomachs turn.
The Water Tanks Are ‘Disgusting’
According to Kamalani, “Rule Number One” of flying is to avoid ordering liquids like coffee or tea. “Those water tanks are never cleaned, and they are disgusting,” Kamalani explains.
“Talk to a flight attendant. We rarely, rarely drink the coffee or tea,” the 30-year-old continues. “They come from the same water tank. And so, when you’re drinking that coffee and tea, it comes from that hot water. It’s absolutely disgusting.”
In the background of the video, Kamalani shows off the traditional coffee and tea makers on a plane. She tells the camera, “they are rarely cleaned unless they are broken.” While they do clean the coffee and tea pots, “the whole machine is never cleaned.”
Moreover, those uncleaned urns sit right next to the—you guessed it—the lavatories. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any grosser, it did.
In addition to telling people to avoid coffee and tea, Kamalani also warns against putting hot water in a baby bottle.
“Pro-tip for all you parents, never ask for hot water and put it in your baby’s bottle. Ask for bottled water on the side and hot water in a cup. Then, make your baby a bottle with the bottled water and put it in the cup to heat it up.”
What The Science Says
According to a 2019 airline water study by the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center at the City University of New York that analyzed the quality of drinking water on 11 major and 12 regional airlines, Kamalani isn’t necessarily wrong.
“The quality of drinking water varies by airline, and many airlines have possibly provided passengers with unhealthy water,” the study reads.
The Comments Section
Despite her warnings, many of the commenters didn’t buy it and told Kamalani she was working for the wrong airline.
“She has no idea what she is talking about. Water tanks are sterilized on a regular basis. I know because I do it. This is such bad info for the public,” one person wrote. Another added, “We do clean them! Your airline don’t 😂.”
Even if Kamalani’s story wasn’t 100% accurate of all airlines, it was enough to convince us to avoid coffee and tea while flying. We’ll just stick with the tiny liquor bottles, thanks.