While it’s important to stay hydrated when you’re in an airplane, travelers may want to think twice when choosing a drink from the beverage cart, especially if it involves anything with water. A new report reveals just how bad the water is on airplanes, and you may be a little grossed out after hearing the truth.
The 2019 Airline Water Study ranks the quality of airline water on a score of zero to five, basing their Water Health Score on 10 criteria including fleet size, ADWR violations, positive E. coli and coliform water sample report and more, with a score of three or better indicating the water is relatively safe and clean.
Overall, Alaska Airlines and Allegiant topped the list for the best quality drinking water, with a score of 3-point-3, with Hawaiian airlines in second with a 3-point-1. On the flipside, you may want to avoid water on both JetBlue and Spirit, which both scored only a one.
Airline Water Quality Rating
- Alaska Airlines: 3.3
- Allegiant Air: 3.3
- Hawaiian Airlines: 3.1
- Frontier Airlines: 2.6
- Southwest Airlines: 2.4
- Delta Air Lines: 1.6
- American Airlines: 1.5
- United Airlines: 1.2
- JetBlue: 1
- Spirit Airlines: 1
So, what should travelers do to protect themselves from the water while flying? Well, the steps they should take are simple:
- Don’t ever drink water on a plane if it doesn’t come from a sealed bottle.
- Skip the coffee and tea aboard since it isn’t made with bottled water.
- And don’t wash your hands in the bathroom, bring hand sanitizer with you instead.
Source: Newswise