Best LifeMarch 2, 2020, 2:50 PM CST
Air travel is hardly the glamorous and romantic adventure it was in the 1960s. These days, flight delays are growing more frequent, seats have shrunk, and fares are only projected to climb higher and higher. But there’s another gross downside that many jet-setters might not think about: the germs. Yes, planes are cesspools in the sky. They’re even likely to have E. coli, staph, and hemolytic bacteria on board. To find out which areas, specifically, you should never touch, we spoke to aviation professionals and cleanliness experts to pinpoint the grossest spots on a plane. So read on—and don’t forget to pack a bottle of Purell in your carry-on!