Flight attendant debunks most common plane myths

A flight attendant has debunked some common plane myths, while also revealing the truth about drinking alcohol on a flight.

Virgin Australia flight attendant Brodie Capron shared a TikTok addressing the questions she gets asked most, from whether water is safe to drink, why you feel more drunk while in the air and where toilet waste really goes.

Ms. Capron, who has been in the industry for two years, often shares her experiences, with her most recent clip amassing half a million views.

Rumors have long circulated about the supposed poor water quality of plane drinking water with its safety a widely debated topic.

Some argue you should only drink out of a sealed bottle, but Brodie said it is indeed “safe to drink” – at least on her flights.

“It is filtered and it is clean,” she said.

When it comes to drinking alcohol, the Virgin crew member said to be mindful of how much you consume because you do get more drunk on an aircraft, something not many people are aware of.

“[It’s] because of the lower oxygen percentage in the air, the effects of alcohol are greater,” she explained.

“So make sure you make good choices when you’re flying.”

Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder confirmed that due to oxygen levels being lower at higher altitudes, passengers are likely to really feel the effects of alcohol.

“So when you get on a plane, your body already has to work hard to compensate for that,” he told news.com.au.

“It’s busy producing extra red blood cells, and when you throw booze into the mix, it can cause problems sooner than if you were drinking on the ground.

“Altitude sickness plus a hangover is not a fun combination.”

He said people vary and some cope much better than others.

“But the odds are you aren’t David Boon and can’t cope with dozens of cans of beer on a long-haul flight,” Mr Kidman said.

“Realistically, the crew are very unlikely to offer them to you anyway, unless you’re in first class.”

A Finder survey in December 2021 revealed almost one in five (17 per cent) of Aussies have been drunk on an airplane, with 2 per cent — nearly 390,000 people — admitting to sneaking in their own drinks.

“Even if you’re in party mode, make sure you’re drinking lots of water as well,” Mr Kidman said.

“And eat some of the plane food too. It’s fine to enjoy yourself on a flight, but remember you’re in a shared space. Moderation is a wise policy when flying.”

Meanwhile, Ms Capron also addressed some other commonly asked questions such as why window shades need to be up for takeoff and landing.

“It’s so that everyone can see the engines and warn the cabin crew if something is wrong,” she said.

For those wondering if poo and wee gets discarded mid-air, the answer is no.

“It goes into a sewerage tank then it gets emptied once we land.”

As for why passengers need to put on their oxygen masks first, Ms. Capron said it’s so you can then help others as you “won’t be very useful if you don’t have oxygen on yourself”.

And those wondering if the doors can be opened mid-flight, Brodie said the answer is no.

“The doors cannot be opened mid-flight unless you have superhuman strength,” she said.

In 2017, a man reportedly tried to open a plane’s exit door during a Delta Air Lines flight from Seattle to Beijing, Yahoo reported.

A flight attendant broke a wine bottle over the man’s head, and the passenger was arrested when the plane was forced to turn back to Seattle.

According to Live Science, even if the man had been left to his own devices, he would have needed to exert more than 23,589 pounds of force to open the door — equivalent to lifting nearly two African elephants.