Social media has become a source of travel hacks for many and, with flight attendants able to run their own channels and publish their own personal top tips, often the insider information forthcoming is surprising and insightful. But is it all valid?
Hot or cold beverages?
One TikToker went viral in 2024 for making claims about what flyers should and should not consume on board. Kat Kamalani, who claims to be a former flight attendant “with one of the biggest airlines you can imagine,” published advice in February telling consumers that “Rule number one” is “never consume any liquid that is not in a can or bottle.”
Dubbing the hot water machines on planes “disgusting” and noting they are next to the toilets on aircraft, Kamalani states that even flight attendants do not drink hot beverages such as tea and coffee on board because the water heaters “are rarely cleaned unless they’re broken.”
But is this good advice? Arguably not, as various commenters online pointed out. There are federal hygiene standards in place dictating how often water heaters should be cleaned. Others note that heating water to boiling point should kill viruses, bacteria, protozoa and other pathogens.
@getlostwebsite You won’t be drinking the water on planes after this (@Kat Kamalani) #flightattendant #airplane #secrets #didyouknow ♬ original sound – Get Lost
Dangerous advice about feeding infants?
More worrying still, Kamalani goes as far as to recommend parents travelling with babies bring bottled water which they can heat up (using the hot water from the plane) before giving to their child. However, health organisations such as the UK’s National Health Service say that babies under six months old should not consume some brands of bottled water due to the high mineral content, making the TikTok star’s tip potentially problematic.
Snacks, allergies, and meds
Another of Kamalani’s recommendations is never to board a plane without your own snacks. This seems a good approach given that delays are unpredictable and aircraft can remain stationary on the tarmac for some time if, say, de-icers are unavailable or take-off slots are missed for any reason.
The “bring your own food” advice is something echoed by similar influencers. Tiktokker and flight attendant Kat Nesbitt says ensuring you have something to eat is a good idea because sometimes food services on board are unavailable. It is also important, she says, for passengers with allergies to take something they know they can eat – as well as any medication or epi-pen treatments they require in case something goes wrong.
@katnesbitt As a flight attendant here are my 3 tips for dining on an airplane✈️ #flightattendant #flightattendantlife #cabincrew ♬ original sound – Kat Nesbitt
Pre-order your meal and don’t stack up your used tray
Another of Nesbitt’s tips is interesting for those who want to guarantee (as far as possible) they will be fed. With profit margins so tight in the aviation sector and unconsumed food going to waste, cabin staff only order the minimum number of meals for each flight. Pre-ordering food for your flight makes it more likely that cabin staff will stock the right number of meals and that flyers won’t go hungry.
And to end on a courtesy note to speed up service and make everyone’s life a little easier, Nesbitt asks that passengers refrain from stacking their empty food containers on trays before handing them back to crew. This is because the tray units available to cabin staff are restricted in height, meaning they cannot fit trays towering with debris inside and so are forced to spend time unstacking them.
