Where & How Often Are Airplane Blankets Washed?

If you’ve ever been on a long-haul flight, even in economy, you likely found a blanket waiting for you when boarding. Since cabin temperatures can range drastically within a single flight, they can be a great companion for getting comfortable and perhaps a bit of shuteye during a lengthy trip. But have you ever looked at the blanket and considered just how clean it is?

Sanitation and flight

For most travelers, the worries and woes of the Covid pandemic are fortunately behind us. But many still have an enhanced expectation about cleanliness compared to a few years ago. Although hand washing and sanitizers are commonplace, there is a limit to the amount of agency we have concerning the amount of germs and bacteria we come into contact with. We board a flight expecting the airline (or a contracted third party) to have done a decent job disinfecting the cabin between each flight.

Photo: ThamKC | Shutterstock

Like many things in life, when it comes to whether your blanket was washed and dried properly, it’s not so straightforward. There are many factors at play: Which airline are you taking? How seriously do they take sanitation? Do they have the ability to wash blankets, duvets, and dining ware at the destination airport if they want to? These questions lead to a single, underwhelming answer: it depends. But we can at least dig into it a bit.

Major carriers likely pose little risk

Some airlines, especially those with extensive international services, do their best to ensure everything is spotless for every flight, even if it means intense water, electricity, and labor costs. For example, YouTuber “DennisBunnik Travels” documented Qatar Airways’ cleaning facilities in Doha, providing an inside view of the 24/7 operation. Although the video covers everything related to cleaning, regarding the item in question, all blankets and duvets are run through a continuous batch washing and drying machine, capable of cleansing 100,000 coverings on any given day. Within one hour after a blanket is placed on the first conveyor belt, it is ready to be put on an aircraft.

The only indication you might have that the blanket at your assigned seat was washed and cleaned is that it’s in a single-use plastic wrapping put on after drying with the help of industrial machinery. Regardless of the airline you fly, it would be pretty reasonable to guess that if the blanket comes wrapped up so perfectly in plastic that human hands couldn’t have done it, the last place it came from was likely a cleaning facility. This may be important for flights not originating at your choice carrier’s home base or country, though some may have contracts with on-site cleaning providers at foreign airports.

What do others say?

Catrina McGrail, a former flight attendant who talked with AFAR magazine this summer, also suggests that the plastic wrap should be a good sign for concerned travelers. She goes on to say,

“Used blankets would be taken off the plane and washed on ground after every flight in a boiling hot wash, then placed inside individually sealed plastic bags ready for the next flight. Using the sealed plastic bags means passengers would know their blanket would be fresh.”

Photo: First Class Photography / Shutterstock.com

Simple Flying was able to track down various horror stories of dirty, even moldy, blankets being provided on flights. But, they mostly date back to pre-pandemic times, again, when people were comparatively less concerned about germs and bacteria. Still, some airlines today provide unwrapped blankets in the seat or upon request. Not that these would be certified disgusting, but they run the risk of being used and simply refolded, and you won’t have the peace of mind while trying to tuck in for a nap. In any case, if you are concerned about hygiene but rest much better with a blanket, it would be wise to reserve space in your carry-on and bring one from home.

Sources: AFAR, Love The Maldives, DennisBunnik Travels