The gross reason airplane passengers might want to avoid using the water on flights
Various airplane surfaces — such as overhead bins, tray tables, instruction cards and seat covers — are some of the biggest sources of germs, according to flight attendants.
Even the water in the bathroom can pose a risk — leading some people to question whether it's even sanitary to wash one's hands on a flight.
"It's a good idea for passengers to use hand sanitizer after stowing away their luggage, touching anything in the seat pocket in front of them, and going to the bathroom," flight attendant and travel blogger Josephine Remo, who is based in Portugal, previously told Travel & Leisure.
Bathrooms can be especially dirty, as the toilets are regularly cleaned, but the locks and door handles may not be, according to Remo.
The water in the bathroom can contain a plethora of contaminants, research suggests, which could be found in bathroom sink water and drinking water, as well as the coffee, tea and ice served onboard.
A 2019 study by the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center confirmed that select airlines have potentially provided passengers with unhealthy drinking water.
Of the 11 major and 12 regional airlines studied, 15 airlines received an Onboard Water Health Score of 2 or lower out of 5.
The federal government's Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (ADWR) requires airlines to provide passengers and crew with safe drinking water, according to the researchers.
Airlines are also required to test the water for bacteria and E. coli, and to disinfect and flush the aircraft's water tank four times per year.
"Alternatively, an airline may choose to disinfect and flush once a year, but then it must test monthly," the researchers noted.
"The 2019 Airline Water Study also finds that the Environmental Protection Agency – one of the federal agencies responsible for ensuring safe aircraft drinking water – rarely levies civil penalties to airlines in violation of the ADWR."
In an interview with Fox News Digital, travel expert and author of ViewFromTheWing.com Gary Leff confirmed that "very little cleaning" happens between most domestic flights.
"Planes aren't on the ground very long — an airline only makes money when their planes are in the air," said the expert, who is based in Austin, Texas. "And cleaning crews often have to come onboard and tidy while passengers are deplaning."
"Different airlines take different approaches, and cleaning will vary across different cabins and classes of service."
"When an inbound aircraft is late, the airline wants to make up time, and cleaning is often sacrificed," he pointed out. "When airlines face financial struggles, deep cleans are one of the first things cut."
Bathrooms can be particularly dirty due to passenger hygiene, according to Leff, and can get "pretty gross" over the course of a flight.
Different airlines take different approaches, and cleaning will vary across cabins and classes of service, he noted.
"I'm not going to suggest it's unsafe, per se — just disgusting," Leff said.
"Don't go into the [lavatory] with bare feet. Bring your own sanitizer. And consider wiping down surfaces you'll be touching if you're so inclined, just knowing that this hasn't been done for you."
Fox News' senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel also confirmed to Fox News Digital how "filthy" airplane bathrooms tend to be, including the water, as various studies have shown.
"The tray tables are common surfaces that can be covered with bacteria and viruses," he cautioned.
"And though the HEPA filters overhead are effective, they don't really work until the plane is in the air and the filtration system is fully engaged. And [they] don't prevent the person next to you from coughing on you."
Before and during a flight, the doctor suggested keeping well-hydrated, which can help fight off infection by keeping nasal membranes moist.
He also encourages the use of sanitizers, wipes or gels to disinfect surfaces and hands.
"I prefer washing hands thoroughly with soap, but on planes, I prefer sanitizers and wipes," Siegel said.
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the EPA explained that the primary purpose of the ADWR is to "ensure that safe and reliable drinking water is provided to aircraft passengers and crew through requiring development and implementation of aircraft water system operations and maintenance plans that include strategies for monitoring, disinfection, and reporting."
The EPA revealed that drinking water safety is "jointly regulated" by the EPA, FDA and FAA.
"The regulatory structure for all public water systems, including aircraft, relies upon self-monitoring and reporting of results to the primacy agency," the agency said. "The EPA is responsible for oversight of the aircraft public water systems and provides guidance to help air carriers comply with ADWR."
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
An FAA spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement that the FAA is an "aviation safety agency" and water quality is "not within our regulatory authority."
Fox News Digital reached out to OSHA for comment.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
The mastermind behind the Tour de France route: ‘We have to find a little subterfuge'
For over a decade, Thierry Gouvenou's holidays have gone something like this. Driving or cycling through the idyllic French countryside, his mind begins to wander. His family can't get through to him. Gouvenou's eyes are on the road, his thoughts, meanwhile, are lost in its possibilities. 'The mind is always awake,' the 56-year-old says. Advertisement Being the chief course designer for the Tour de France is a constant job. Finding ways to enhance its route is Gouvenou's raison d'être, a former racer turned Tour lifer — this summer's edition will be his 29th as a competitor or official. When he sleeps, he dreams of cols and cobbles. The race is itself an artwork, constructed in part to sell television rights and sponsorship spots on the beauty of the French countryside. There are beaches, vineyards, and the high mountains, sometimes all within a single day. Then there is the sporting element itself, which at times necessitates being someone for everyone — fast and flat run-ins for the sprinters, peloton-splitting climbs for the GC men — but above all, variety for the viewer. These are different times from the Tour's early days. A century ago, the race was almost literally a giant hexagon. Straight lines joined France's major cities in what often amounted to over 400km stages. The route was designed for attrition and practicality, rather than entertainment. Though the need to cover every inch of France was gradually phased out, the 1990s, with Jean-Marie Leblanc as race director, saw the race settle into a more predictable format, made up of multiple formulaic sprint stages at the start of the race, long time trials and then visits to France's two biggest mountain ranges, the Alps and the Pyrenees. But since Leblanc was succeeded by Christian Prudhomme in 2005, there has been a lot more variety in the route design. 'We want to draw stages where the difficulties will alternate,' Gouvenou explains from the Amaury Sport Organisation's (ASO) Paris offices. 'We need to find interest for the public, for the spectators. We will always avoid having three sprint stages in a row. We'd cut it with a time trial, a stage for the puncheurs, the cobbles…' Advertisement This year, the Grande Boucle, or the Big Loop, is as close to its literal meaning as it has been in years. The parcours strides leisurely across northern France, from the Pas-de-Calais coast to the Breton cliffs, before diving down through the country's midriff to the Pyrenees via the Massif Central. From there, after its first prolonged bout of climbing, it races across the south to Mont Ventoux, arguably the most famous climb of them all, before climaxing with three hard days in the Alps. Gouvenou has dispensed with tradition on the final stage as well. Rather than a traditional closed-loop circuit around Paris, this year's route will pass over the climb to Montmartre three times, raising the possibility of some real racing outside the closing sprint. It is no wonder that Gouvenou gets nervous. 'My colleagues know it,' he jokes. 'I am tense, like last year when we rode on the white (gravel) roads. I had two modes — before the white roads and after. We are tense until the final kilometres of any stage, because we're always trying things, we're kind of betting at times. 'What will the weather be? Will it be too hot? Is there a headwind? Any of those things can ruin a stage. There really is constant stress.' This is the life Gouvenou signed up for after finishing his racing career, where he entered the Tour de France seven times between 1994 and 2001, finishing in a highest position of 59th during the troubled tour of 1998. His own career was spent mostly in service of others as a domestique — a role which included being in charge of designing training routes. 'It was me that traced out our paths,' he remembers. 'So it's true that maps were always something that interested me.' On retiring, he decided he did not want to work within a cycling team, but he had taken a qualification in sport business. He applied for a job at the ASO, initially designing smaller races, before replacing Jean-Francois Pecheux as chief designer in 2014. Advertisement In a sense, though his job at the Tour is more complicated, the role is essentially the same as when he planned group rides. Just as his team leader might have said they wanted to summit a certain climb, so too does Gouvenou's boss, general director Prudhomme, make it clear that the Tour must visit a certain place. The details are up to him. 'The real genesis is with Christian, who has chosen the start,' explains Gouvenou. 'That obviously has a big influence on the overall layout of the course. But Christian also has an eye on what he wants to highlight. He likes anniversaries — in 2014, the route marked sites from the First World War. Then, more specifically, obviously there are parts of the Alps and Pyrenees which we return to every year. 'But after that, there are other regions of France that we visit a little less regularly. We aim to visit each of them at least once every five years, though there are no hard rules predefined in advance. Originally, the Tour was around France, but it's now far easier to get to the centre, which means we visit the extremes a little less regularly.' Gouvenou is particularly proud of his work in this area, developing challenging stages around the Vosges, Massif Central, and Jura mountains. He describes the visit to the Vosges at the end of the 2023 Tour — where Thibaut Pinot almost won an emotional farewell victory on home roads, while Tadej Pogacar gained his revenge on Jonas Vingegaard with a stage win — as one of the finest days of his career. 'This kind of stage will motivate you for 10 years,' he says. There is a twinkle in his eyes as he remembers these days. Gouvenou still possesses a racer's mindset and once described in an interview with cycling magazine Rouleur how he wishes 'to find difficulties in every corner of France'. He smiles on hearing those words. 'Previously, we'd have stages which were 200km in a straight line,' he says. 'But we've now really shortened them because we scour the region to look for difficulties. Obviously, that now means we visit fewer regions. 'For example, in Toulouse, we usually always have a big bunch sprint. This year we revised it, there are hills in the final part of the course to try and encourage escapees. We can't offer nine or 10 stages that are completely monotonous. 'So in the 2025 Tour, we might be on the flat plain for 10 days, but by going on the ground myself, I could find interesting things for the puncheurs — at least four or five of them on these 10 stages. Twenty years ago, if we had done the same Tour, we would not have done these things at all.' These trips are a key part of Gouvenou's pre-race process — his year is filled with service stations and motorway dinners. 'It's my 29th Tour de France, so there are lots and lots of roads I know, where I don't have to adapt,' he says. 'But there are some regions where I need to go into the country to see exactly what it looks like — or, if I'm looking for very specific things, I drive my car and hit the roads, having recorded everything that interests me beforehand. I'll work beforehand with Strava, with Google Maps — I have a little overview.' Advertisement His quest to find difficulties does not always leave every competitor happy. Gouvenou will always listen to their suggestions — in the past, climbs have been suggested by members of the peloton — though he remarks that, at the finish line, he is usually introduced to the rider that has won. One regular source of debate is the presence of cobble and gravel stages in the parcours — components which raise the chances of mechanicals, potentially ruining a GC contenders' race. Due to the potential for a rider being punished for conditions outside their control, several high-profile racers have expressed their discontent. 'Last time I checked, we did road cycling,' Simon Yates, the 2025 Giro d'Italia champion, said at last year's Tour. 'You could argue that gravel is also a road, but it's not something that I really enjoy. I think there's a place for it in the sport, you have Paris-Roubaix, you have cyclocross… but I think we should stick to road racing.' 'They'll say: 'Yeah, back in the day… all the roads were cobbles…' and all this stuff, but we're in 2024 now. I think it creates a risk of punctures and crashes for no real reason, but we've got to deal with it.' For Gouvenou, this disruption is part of finding the best overall rider and is part of his contract with the supporters. 'The problem is that teams have become professional and if we can't find real difficulties — either with hills, pavé, or gravel — the stages become monotonous,' he argues. 'They're locked out by the sprint teams, there are no attacks, so you just see a peloton moving. For the sake of the event, for the sake of the viewers, it's not possible to do that. So in regions where we don't have a col, where we don't have a pass, we have to find a little subterfuge.' For similar reasons, Gouvenou is not a fan of time-trials. This year's Tour de France is notably light, with just 44km of TT kilometres, the fourth-fewest in the last 25 years. One of these is not even a traditional TT, with stage 13 comprised of an 11km climb up to Peyragudes. The trend goes across the Grand Tour board — this spring's Giro d'Italia had just 42.3km. 'And I think we still have too many time-trial kilometres,' he laughs. 'You can't feel the race. You see the riders sitting on their bikes and we have the impression of a robot, not a cyclist. Personally, it bothers me to see how technology has taken over the sensation of the shapes. 'Also, in recent years, the gaps in the mountains had been very slim. This has changed a bit with Pogacar and Vingegaard, but having more time-trials before was an opportunity to see different types of gaps.' Advertisement Gouvenou's reference to Pogacar and Vingegaard by name is more evidence of the organisers' ability and willingness to adapt to the riders on the start line. The designer has previously referenced the Team Sky years as forcing him 'outside his comfort zone' due to their ability to control the variables of the route — the presence of super-teams such as UAE Team Emirates and Visma Lease-a-Bike underscore this. 'Eighty to 90 per cent of the course is designed after the previous edition,' he explains. 'For example, this year's stage in Toulouse (stage 11) was redesigned in September after we felt there were too many sprints in the last Tour. 'Right now, I don't know at all about next year's course, not even 60 per cent of the cities. But we're able to react, and that's helped by the fact that there are only a few of us who are making those decisions.' One late adjustment this year came on the final stage, which is traditionally a flat and easy ride through Paris, made up of several short laps before a sprint on the Champs-Élysées. This year, however, organisers were inspired by the inclusion of Montmartre at last summer's Olympic Games and have introduced three loops of the cobbled 1.1km climb. 'In our dreams, or in the dreams of our president, Mr Prudhomme, there was a desire to change the last stage a little bit,' Gouvenou says. 'On the other hand, it is true that we were in a bit of a comfort zone, especially in the city of Paris, where we used to do the Champs-Élysées circuit. It worked well, there was no real questioning. 'But then came the Olympics. That stage at Montmartre struck us all, that was the turning point. We knew it could not be done in the same conditions. On the way, the road is narrow and it's on cobbles, but we do that in Flanders — it's not an issue. But it was necessary to find descents that were much safer than the Olympics. That was the challenge. 'What will the next edition bring? We'll have to see how it goes, but why not come back regularly, maybe in the Olympic years.' The notion of dramatising the set-pieces extends to the Grand Departs, which have begun to conform to a pattern under Gouvenou's stewardship. He has overseen launches in Yorkshire, Utrecht, Dusseldorf, Copenhagen, the Basque Country and Tuscany, amidst the traditional French openings. Conversations constantly arise over whether the Tour could support a Grand Depart on the East Coast of the United States, but Gouvenou is sceptical, raising issues with the logistics, rider welfare, and speculating that the wider roads in the United States may make designing unpredictable stages more challenging. Advertisement 'Personally, I would rather see it finish there,' he considers. 'There's such a significant time difference and it's better for the riders going to the United States rather than back to Europe.' In the meantime, the race will begin in Barcelona next year, before returning to the United Kingdom when it departs from Edinburgh in 2027. 'Every time we have a big departure, we try to have one big stage,' he explains. 'Basically, we want to highlight the riders that will become the GC leaders of the Tour. We're not going to break that rule. 'For example, in the UK, there will be a climb in order to put the leaders forward. It will be an incredible, popular stage. We are waiting impatiently.' (Top photos: Marco Bertorello/Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Yes, You Deserve! Named Best Private Tour Company in Portugal of 2025 by Evergreen Awards
Yes, You Deserve! has been honored with the title of Best Private Tour Company in Portugal for 2025 by Evergreen Awards, a recognition of its commitment to offering exceptional, personalized travel experiences in Sintra and surrounding regions. Sintra, Portugal, July 3, 2025 -- A New Milestone in Personalized Travel Yes, You Deserve! has added another prestigious recognition to its collection, as it was named the Best Private Tour Company in Portugal of 2025 by Evergreen Awards. This accolade acknowledges the company's tireless dedication to providing intimate, high-quality travel experiences and further solidifies its reputation as one of the top boutique tour companies in the region. The recognition underscores the brand's focus on offering authentic, personalized experiences to travelers exploring Sintra's rich cultural and historical landscape. Daniel Ponce, Founder and Lead Guide of Yes, You Deserve!, expressed his gratitude for the award, stating, 'Receiving this recognition is a true honor for our team. It affirms our commitment to delivering exceptional travel experiences that go beyond typical sightseeing. Every tour we offer is designed to be deeply personal, enriching, and a genuine reflection of the beauty of Sintra and Portugal.' The Best Private Tour Company of 2025 award acknowledges Yes, You Deserve!'s continuous growth, the evolution of its offerings, and its emphasis on cultural immersion. Guests who take part in Yes, You Deserve!'s tuk-tuk tours not only see the famous sights of Sintra, but also gain access to hidden gems, local eateries, and family-run vineyards, with each experience tailored to individual preferences. A Tailored Approach to Touring Sintra Yes, You Deserve! is renowned for its deeply personalized approach to touring, offering private tuk-tuk experiences that blend sightseeing with storytelling. Unlike other companies in the region, Yes, You Deserve! goes beyond simply driving past landmarks. The company provides guided access inside Sintra's iconic monuments, offering guests a more intimate and knowledgeable perspective on these historical treasures. Whether it's a visit to the ornate Pena Palace or a quiet walk through lush gardens, guests are treated to detailed, engaging narratives that bring the history of Sintra to life. The company's approach emphasizes a human-centered experience, where guests feel like they are being shown the region by a knowledgeable local friend rather than just a guide. Ponce further elaborated, 'The essence of our tours lies in the connection we foster with our guests. It's about sharing stories, not just facts, and creating memories that last long after the tuk-tuk ride ends.' Expertise Behind the Experience Founded by Daniel Ponce, a seasoned tour guide with over 15 years of experience, Yes, You Deserve! blends deep local knowledge with a genuine passion for storytelling. Daniel's unique approach to guiding has been a significant factor in building the company's exceptional reputation for offering premium, private tours that emphasize comfort, culture, and connection. 'We're not just taking people to sights, we're taking them on a journey through time, culture, and personal connection,' Ponce said. The company's intimate approach has garnered praise from over 200 five-star reviews across platforms such as TripAdvisor and Google, underscoring the high level of service and knowledge that travelers value. Cultural Immersion and Local Expertise At the core of Yes, You Deserve!'s offerings is its focus on cultural immersion. The company goes beyond typical tourist destinations, offering travelers a truly local experience. The tours extend to lesser-known spots that offer a glimpse into Sintra's authentic lifestyle, such as local cafes, scenic viewpoints, and vineyards where guests can enjoy tastings of Portugal's finest wines. Unlike other tour services, Yes, You Deserve! takes the time to ensure each guest feels personally welcomed and fully immersed in the destination. This level of dedication is reflected in the company's recognition as Portugal's Most Unique Tuk-Tuk Tour Company by LUXlife magazine in 2024. Building on Success and Expanding Horizons With the accolade of Best Private Tour Company in Portugal of 2025 firmly in hand, Yes, You Deserve! continues to expand its footprint. While Sintra remains the heart of the company's operations, future plans include extending their unique travel experiences to other parts of Portugal, such as Lisbon and the Algarve region. Despite these exciting expansion plans, the company remains committed to maintaining the high standards of personalized service that have earned it this prestigious award. 'We're thrilled about the future and the opportunities to share our passion for Portuguese culture with even more travelers. But no matter how much we grow, we will always keep the personal touch at the core of our service,' said Ponce. About Yes, You Deserve! Yes, You Deserve! is a premium private tour company based in Sintra, Portugal. Specializing in personalized tuk-tuk tours, the company offers an immersive and tailored way to explore Sintra's beauty, history, and culture. Founded by Daniel Ponce, a passionate tour guide with over 15 years of experience, Yes, You Deserve! has earned global recognition for its commitment to providing unique, human-centered travel experiences. With a team of professional, multilingual guides, the company offers a deeper connection to Portugal, making every tour an unforgettable experience. Media Contact Daniel Ponce Email: [email protected] Contact Info: Name: Daniel Ponce Email: Send Email Organization: Yes, You Deserve! Website: Release ID: 89163765 In the event of encountering any errors, concerns, or inconsistencies within the content shared in this press release, we kindly request that you immediately contact us at [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our dedicated team will be readily accessible to address your feedback within 8 hours and take appropriate measures to rectify any identified issues or facilitate press release takedowns. Ensuring accuracy and reliability are central to our commitment.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
FITUR 2026 expands its technological dimension with the introduction of the Knowledge Hub
The International Tourism Trade Fair, taking place from 21 to 25 January at IFEMA MADRID, reinforces its leadership with Hall 12 as the epicentre of tourism innovation. Over the course of the professional days, the Knowledge Hub will be hosting the Travel Technology area, which has grown by more than 35%; FITUR Know-How & Export; FITUR Sports; FITUR Talent; FITUR TechY, and the FITURNEXT Observatory. MADRID, July 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FITUR, the International Tourism Trade Fair, which is taking place from 21 to 25 January 2026 at IFEMA MADRID, reinforces its technological dimension as a key backbone for the development of tourism with the introduction of the Knowledge Hub. Located in Hall 12, it will be occupied by forward-thinking companies from around the world that are benchmarks in the digital ecosystem, and will bring together high-impact, topical content that is defining the future of the industry. During the professional days - Wednesday 21, Thursday 22 and Friday 23 January - international experts will meet in Hall 12 at hundreds of sessions to exchange experiences and share the best practices that are defining trends in the tourism sector. In this way, FITUR reinforces its commitment to the dissemination of knowledge and technology, facilitating its access to companies, destinations and professionals. The Knowledge Hub, epicentre of Travel Technology, which has grown by more than 35%. The Knowledge Hub will be hosting the Travel Technology area, which has grown by more than 35% compared to last year, with more than 100 companies from 20 countries, underlining the key role of technology in the transformation of the tourism sector. In addition, this space will be the setting for FITUR TechY, organised in collaboration with the Spanish Hotel Technology Institute (ITH). Thus, FITUR announces that Hall 12 will be gathering together leading companies from the technology sector such as Amadeus, Travelgate, BeonX, Duetto, Ratehawk and Mirai, among others, consolidating its role as one of the major new features at the International Tourism Trade Fair. In addition, the Knowledge Hub will enhance the congress offer and centralise the most topical and interesting content of FITUR Know-How & Export, FITUR Sports, FITUR Talent and the FITURNEXT Sustainability Observatory. Hall 12, main access to FITUR from the south-east of the venue The Knowledge Hub is strategically located in the southeast of the Trade Fair Centre, where there will be a direct entrance to FITUR, creating a new circulation aisle linking Halls 4 and 12, which will facilitate and redistribute the flow of professional visitors. This privileged connection reinforces the role of the Knowledge Hub as one of the main features at the trade fair, guaranteeing an accessible and dynamic space that will enhance the visibility and impact of all the activities and exhibitors gathered there, with the focus on professional visitors. In this way, this trade fair configuration allows for the creation of a specialised, attractive and exclusive environment for professionals in the tourism sector, opening only on working days and focusing the offer for the general public over the weekend in the other eight halls. FITUR 2026, nine halls at the service of tourism development with a positive impact The 46th edition of FITUR will occupy a total of 9 Halls -3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12- where the most pioneering global offer of the entire tourism value chain of public and private institutions linked to destinations, accommodation, agencies and tour operators, technology companies, means of transport and other services in the sector will be presented. Hall 3 will be occupied by the Americas; Hall 4 will be hosting Europe and FITUR Cruises; Halls 5, 7 and 9, Spain together with FITUR LGTB+ in Hall9; Hall 6, the Middle East and Africa; Hall 8, Asia-Pacific and Global Business; Hall 10, Global Business and FITUR 4all, FITUR Lingua, FITUR Screen and FITUR Woman; and the Knowledge Hub, Hall 12, FITUR TechY, FITUR Know-How & Export, FITUR Sports, FITUR Talent, the FITURNEXT Observatory and the Travel Technology companies area. FITUR 2026 is taking place from 21 to 25 January at IFEMA MADRID. Media Contact: Elena Valera, evalera@ SOURCE FITUR/IFEMA MADRID Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
