There is nothing worse than getting off of a flight to feel a cold settling in.
And while you can't predict when you'll be on the same flight as someone who is sick, there are steps you can take to walk out as germ-free as possible. Here are 13 tips to help you stay healthy on a plane.
Talia Avakian wrote an earlier version of this post.
SEE ALSO: The best and worst foods to eat on a plane, according to an airline meal expert
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Don't drink the tap water.
In 2007, The Wall Street Journal conducted a study of 14 different international and domestic flights. Their results revealed traces of everything from Salmonella to tiny insect eggs lurking in the water onboard.
Of the 14 they studied, almost all samples contained bacteria levels that reached "tens, sometimes hundreds of times above the US government limits."
Efforts were made by the Environmental Protection Agency to clear up the issue, but studies conducted in 2013 revealed that not much had changed in the bacteria levels of the water.
Skip the ice in your drinks.
While ice usually comes from outside vendors, some large planes have their own ice-making technology and will use the water from the airplane tanks to make the cubes, according to CNN.
Since tanks are kept small to maintain a light weight, they can be refilled at foreign airports where water standards can vary greatly.
Avoid using the blankets and pillows.
In another investigation by The Wall Street Journal, airlines were found to wash their blankets and pillows every five to 30 days.
Often freshly washed blankets will only be set out for the first flights of the day, leaving customers who board towards the end of the day with blankets that have already been used several times.
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