Most people, when asked where the dirtiest place in a plane is, would assume that it is somewhere in the toilet. But most people would be wrong, in fact, the germs have been found to be most prevalent on the tray tables, the very place you put your food.

Seat buckles, overhead air vents and toilet locks all carry bugs, but tray tables can carry more harmful bacteria than all of these combined. Food is often in close proximity to these tray tables, and as a result, the risk of contamination can be high. As a result, it is imperative that no food that touches the tray goes in your mouth.

Thankfully, bacteria such as E. coli was absent in the studies, even in the places with the most contamination. In airports themselves, that place is the drinking fountain buttons, which makes sense, given how many people interact with them every hour.

Here is a list of tips to maximise hygiene and wellbeing when you are on board a plane.

• Make sure that you drink enough water to remain hydrated, but not so much that you need to queue for the toilet too often.
• Ensure that you use hand sanitiser before and after using the toilet. This helps to prevent the spread of disease.
• Don’t walk on the plane without any shoes on, because the rugs are not cleaned or replaced very often.
• Using a nasal spray can help to flush out disease and filter bacteria, as well as making the flight more comfortable.
• On chairs, the blankets are only fresh on the first flight of the day. After that, they don’t get changed. So bring your own blankets to reduce the risk of catching anything.
• Many different people will handle your luggage during a flight, so make sure that you wipe your luggage down after your journey.