On this podcast, PJ Vogt talks about the rumor that you shouldn't drink coffee (or tea) on planes. This rumor says that the water on airplanes is full of bacteria, and airlines are only required...
On this podcast, PJ Vogt talks about the rumor that you shouldn't drink coffee (or tea) on planes. This rumor says that the water on airplanes is full of bacteria, and airlines are only required to wash the water tanks twice a year. Vogt finds that the rumors are true, and discovers a journalist that had the same question 20 years ago and how her findings made some changes in the way airlines manage water. The podcast concludes with an interview featuring a salubrity expert that explains why the issue is not as big of a deal as people made it out to be.
The episode is 50 minutes long so of course there's more to it, but you'll need to listen to the rest of the episode.
I had no idea what PJ was up to after Reply All. I had felt like it was becoming less interesting even before he left, but after he left it seemed to mostly turn into some kind of general-interest...
I had no idea what PJ was up to after Reply All. I had felt like it was becoming less interesting even before he left, but after he left it seemed to mostly turn into some kind of general-interest podcast and I didn’t feel like I was learning anything. He was pretty crucial to the show, in retrospect.
I remember there was drama around him leaving Reply All. I wonder if anyone has opinions about that.
The times they explained all the obscure injokes in some tweets were great (yesyesno segments). You got the fun parts of twitter, without having to ever use twitter, and also the confirmation that...
it was becoming less interesting
The times they explained all the obscure injokes in some tweets were great (yesyesno segments). You got the fun parts of twitter, without having to ever use twitter, and also the confirmation that you would never want to use twitter.
I’m flight crew - for us cups of water come from bottles provided each time the plane is catered. Coffee comes from the potable water tanks on board the aircraft. That’s filled via hose when the...
I’m flight crew - for us cups of water come from bottles provided each time the plane is catered. Coffee comes from the potable water tanks on board the aircraft. That’s filled via hose when the plane is serviced.
Why? Seems weird that you’d have bottled water for some things and draw from storage tanks for others. I’d figure the airline would cheap out and only draw from those tanks. Do they really only...
Why? Seems weird that you’d have bottled water for some things and draw from storage tanks for others. I’d figure the airline would cheap out and only draw from those tanks. Do they really only clean them twice a year? Is the water filtered from those tanks?
That doesn't actually sound that much better. Six months worth of catching all the shit one wouldn't want to drink, then passing all the drinking water through it sounds even less appealing. Best...
Is the water filtered from those tanks?
That doesn't actually sound that much better. Six months worth of catching all the shit one wouldn't want to drink, then passing all the drinking water through it sounds even less appealing. Best of all, that filter could pretty easily find itself onto a deferred maintenance list - meaning 6 months might be how long it's meant to be there, but not how long it actually is. It doesn't have to be tasty, it just has to not cause illness.
Incidentally, that's a pretty major flaw with built-in ice makers and water dispensers with refrigerators: the filters typically get changed sometime between never and "You're supposed to do that?!".
I was a flight attendant for a decade and now I am an airline pilot(I hate saying airline but it needs to be said here). I do not drink the water. The tanks aren't cleaned often enough and the...
I was a flight attendant for a decade and now I am an airline pilot(I hate saying airline but it needs to be said here). I do not drink the water. The tanks aren't cleaned often enough and the coffee makers don't get all that hot so they are not killing a thing with the heat. It definitely isn't a boil. I use an immersion heater with bottled water and instant coffee I get from Europe. I know it isn't great but it is leagues above the airplane coffee.
16 years into being flight crew between the fa/pilot jobs.
Well, spoilers I suppose, but in classic podcast reporting story fashion, this was a double "turns out", in that by the end, Vogt had a microbiologist from Ireland who studied the topic on and...
Well, spoilers I suppose, but in classic podcast reporting story fashion, this was a double "turns out", in that by the end, Vogt had a microbiologist from Ireland who studied the topic on and basically concludes there's not really a problem. Maybe give the ending a listen and see if it changes your mind.
Personally, I don't think airplane coffee because it doesn't taste very good, and if I'm going to stain my teeth I may as well drink good coffee.
I'll definitely give it a listen. I agree the coffee isn't any good but at the end of the day I just see too much working in the industry and choose to stay away from it.
I'll definitely give it a listen. I agree the coffee isn't any good but at the end of the day I just see too much working in the industry and choose to stay away from it.
I believe it's not really a problem from a health and safety perspective, simply because otherwise we'd be seeing tons of people coming down with stomach issues after flying but that really...
Vogt had a microbiologist from Ireland who studied the topic on and basically concludes there's not really a problem.
I believe it's not really a problem from a health and safety perspective, simply because otherwise we'd be seeing tons of people coming down with stomach issues after flying but that really doesn't seem to be much of a thing.
But it's almost certainly a big deal from a taste standpoint, because the coffee and tea are bad. And that's certainly partly due to the beans/leaf being bad but also the quality of the water plays a big role. Even when I'm making coffee at home I notice big differences in how bitter or burnt it tastes based on whether I use filtered water from the fridge, water straight from the tap, or distilled water.
I bring my own water and snacks on the plane when I travel which is frequently. I still occasionally come down with respiratory infection/flu. I have been lucky this year. I flew to Denmark,...
I bring my own water and snacks on the plane when I travel which is frequently. I still occasionally come down with respiratory infection/flu.
I have been lucky this year. I flew to Denmark, Norway and Aruba so far and will be going to Germany and some other western Europe countries in September. No infections so far!
I'm going to echo what the other, seemingly deleted response said because it is exactly what I was thinking:
I'm going to echo what the other, seemingly deleted response said because it is exactly what I was thinking:
The thing is, if the coffee/water are really bad, shouldn’t we be getting food poisoning type symptoms, not respiratory infections? I’m all for holding airlines to hygiene standards, but it can’t be too much of a problem.
You are correct. I believe I was referencing the environment of the plane itself as the source of respiratory infections and not necessarily the drinks.
You are correct. I believe I was referencing the environment of the plane itself as the source of respiratory infections and not necessarily the drinks.
I've read that, however, I imagine that my many trips to the loo might put me in the company of some un-Hepa'd germs. I've had pulmonary embolisms twice so my breathing apparatus might be a bit...
I've read that, however, I imagine that my many trips to the loo might put me in the company of
some un-Hepa'd germs. I've had pulmonary embolisms twice so my breathing apparatus might be a bit more vulnerable due to diminished capacity.
I'm just guessing. I fly a lot regardless.
I'd put my money on the airports, particularly the crowded security lines and pile-ups at the gate while boarding, rather than the conditions in the plane itself. If not for the annoyance of...
I'd put my money on the airports, particularly the crowded security lines and pile-ups at the gate while boarding, rather than the conditions in the plane itself. If not for the annoyance of constantly fogging up my glasses I'd opt to remain masked through the TSA checks and from boarding to until the plane starts flying (which is when they begin cycling the air) as a matter of course. Whether we're in a pandemic or not.
You're far more likely to come down with a respiratory infection from airborne/droplet transmission than fomites (surfaces) and food/drink. Before Covid I feel like there was maybe a 25% chance...
I still occasionally come down with respiratory infection/flu
You're far more likely to come down with a respiratory infection from airborne/droplet transmission than fomites (surfaces) and food/drink. Before Covid I feel like there was maybe a 25% chance I'd come down with a cold after a long flight especially in the winter. Now I feel like even if Covid were eradicated I'd still wear a mask on planes - I haven't gotten sick on a flight since before 2020.
This topic looks interesting to me I guess but idk, seems like it might be tough for me to swallow (pun intended). The creator, PJ Vogt, was a host of the Reply All podcast and ran Gimlet Media...
This topic looks interesting to me I guess but idk, seems like it might be tough for me to swallow (pun intended). The creator, PJ Vogt, was a host of the Reply All podcast and ran Gimlet Media where it was alleged that he (with coworker Sruthi Pinnamaneni) created a toxic (pun intended) workplace, including racism and opposing unionization efforts, which lead to the end of the podcast. I'm not personally too on board (pun intended) with his current output, especially considering that Pinnamaneni is on the team for this podcast, too. While Vogt nominally apologized for his behavior at Gimlet, that doesn't give me confidence that he's a changed man.
Thanks for calling this out. I really enjoyed Reply All and was floored to watch (listen to?) the show implode in realtime over this. Vogt has a knack for finding interesting stories and telling...
Thanks for calling this out. I really enjoyed Reply All and was floored to watch (listen to?) the show implode in realtime over this. Vogt has a knack for finding interesting stories and telling them compellingly, but I can’t in good conscience consume his monetized content anymore.
That was my first thought when seeing whose substack the link was from, too. I miss Reply All so much, and was really bummed when that all happened. It really felt like a group of cool internet...
That was my first thought when seeing whose substack the link was from, too. I miss Reply All so much, and was really bummed when that all happened. It really felt like a group of cool internet friends every week, and they have some really impressive episodes.
Airlines typically get food from the same airport catering companies regardless of the cost of your ticket, meaning a more expensive flight probably serve the same food as a cheaper flight. Some...
Airlines typically get food from the same airport catering companies regardless of the cost of your ticket, meaning a more expensive flight probably serve the same food as a cheaper flight. Some airlines only serve prepackaged food, simply because it’s cheaper and keeps longer.
On this podcast, PJ Vogt talks about the rumor that you shouldn't drink coffee (or tea) on planes. This rumor says that the water on airplanes is full of bacteria, and airlines are only required to wash the water tanks twice a year. Vogt finds that the rumors are true, and discovers a journalist that had the same question 20 years ago and how her findings made some changes in the way airlines manage water. The podcast concludes with an interview featuring a salubrity expert that explains why the issue is not as big of a deal as people made it out to be.
The episode is 50 minutes long so of course there's more to it, but you'll need to listen to the rest of the episode.
I had no idea what PJ was up to after Reply All. I had felt like it was becoming less interesting even before he left, but after he left it seemed to mostly turn into some kind of general-interest podcast and I didn’t feel like I was learning anything. He was pretty crucial to the show, in retrospect.
I remember there was drama around him leaving Reply All. I wonder if anyone has opinions about that.
The times they explained all the obscure injokes in some tweets were great (yesyesno segments). You got the fun parts of twitter, without having to ever use twitter, and also the confirmation that you would never want to use twitter.
Ha! Absolutely. I feel like those were definitely PJ segments.
Does this include regular cups of water? Or is it specifically tanks of water on the coffee machines?
I’m flight crew - for us cups of water come from bottles provided each time the plane is catered. Coffee comes from the potable water tanks on board the aircraft. That’s filled via hose when the plane is serviced.
Why? Seems weird that you’d have bottled water for some things and draw from storage tanks for others. I’d figure the airline would cheap out and only draw from those tanks. Do they really only clean them twice a year? Is the water filtered from those tanks?
That doesn't actually sound that much better. Six months worth of catching all the shit one wouldn't want to drink, then passing all the drinking water through it sounds even less appealing. Best of all, that filter could pretty easily find itself onto a deferred maintenance list - meaning 6 months might be how long it's meant to be there, but not how long it actually is. It doesn't have to be tasty, it just has to not cause illness.
Incidentally, that's a pretty major flaw with built-in ice makers and water dispensers with refrigerators: the filters typically get changed sometime between never and "You're supposed to do that?!".
Thanks for summarizing!
I was a flight attendant for a decade and now I am an airline pilot(I hate saying airline but it needs to be said here). I do not drink the water. The tanks aren't cleaned often enough and the coffee makers don't get all that hot so they are not killing a thing with the heat. It definitely isn't a boil. I use an immersion heater with bottled water and instant coffee I get from Europe. I know it isn't great but it is leagues above the airplane coffee.
16 years into being flight crew between the fa/pilot jobs.
Well, spoilers I suppose, but in classic podcast reporting story fashion, this was a double "turns out", in that by the end, Vogt had a microbiologist from Ireland who studied the topic on and basically concludes there's not really a problem. Maybe give the ending a listen and see if it changes your mind.
Personally, I don't think airplane coffee because it doesn't taste very good, and if I'm going to stain my teeth I may as well drink good coffee.
I'll definitely give it a listen. I agree the coffee isn't any good but at the end of the day I just see too much working in the industry and choose to stay away from it.
I believe it's not really a problem from a health and safety perspective, simply because otherwise we'd be seeing tons of people coming down with stomach issues after flying but that really doesn't seem to be much of a thing.
But it's almost certainly a big deal from a taste standpoint, because the coffee and tea are bad. And that's certainly partly due to the beans/leaf being bad but also the quality of the water plays a big role. Even when I'm making coffee at home I notice big differences in how bitter or burnt it tastes based on whether I use filtered water from the fridge, water straight from the tap, or distilled water.
I bring my own water and snacks on the plane when I travel which is frequently. I still occasionally come down with respiratory infection/flu.
I have been lucky this year. I flew to Denmark, Norway and Aruba so far and will be going to Germany and some other western Europe countries in September. No infections so far!
I'm going to echo what the other, seemingly deleted response said because it is exactly what I was thinking:
You are correct. I believe I was referencing the environment of the plane itself as the source of respiratory infections and not necessarily the drinks.
Airliner air is cycled either through HEPA filters or out of the plane every two to three minutes. It should be very clean.
I've read that, however, I imagine that my many trips to the loo might put me in the company of
some un-Hepa'd germs. I've had pulmonary embolisms twice so my breathing apparatus might be a bit more vulnerable due to diminished capacity.
I'm just guessing. I fly a lot regardless.
I'd put my money on the airports, particularly the crowded security lines and pile-ups at the gate while boarding, rather than the conditions in the plane itself. If not for the annoyance of constantly fogging up my glasses I'd opt to remain masked through the TSA checks and from boarding to until the plane starts flying (which is when they begin cycling the air) as a matter of course. Whether we're in a pandemic or not.
Absolutely agree.
You're far more likely to come down with a respiratory infection from airborne/droplet transmission than fomites (surfaces) and food/drink. Before Covid I feel like there was maybe a 25% chance I'd come down with a cold after a long flight especially in the winter. Now I feel like even if Covid were eradicated I'd still wear a mask on planes - I haven't gotten sick on a flight since before 2020.
I fly frequently and try to wear a mask while in the airport and flying as much as possible.
Thanks for sharing OP and reminding me about Reply All. Used to be a big fan of the podcast so I'll give this a listen
This topic looks interesting to me I guess but idk, seems like it might be tough for me to swallow (pun intended). The creator, PJ Vogt, was a host of the Reply All podcast and ran Gimlet Media where it was alleged that he (with coworker Sruthi Pinnamaneni) created a toxic (pun intended) workplace, including racism and opposing unionization efforts, which lead to the end of the podcast. I'm not personally too on board (pun intended) with his current output, especially considering that Pinnamaneni is on the team for this podcast, too. While Vogt nominally apologized for his behavior at Gimlet, that doesn't give me confidence that he's a changed man.
Thanks for calling this out. I really enjoyed Reply All and was floored to watch (listen to?) the show implode in realtime over this. Vogt has a knack for finding interesting stories and telling them compellingly, but I can’t in good conscience consume his monetized content anymore.
That was my first thought when seeing whose substack the link was from, too. I miss Reply All so much, and was really bummed when that all happened. It really felt like a group of cool internet friends every week, and they have some really impressive episodes.
Airlines typically get food from the same airport catering companies regardless of the cost of your ticket, meaning a more expensive flight probably serve the same food as a cheaper flight. Some airlines only serve prepackaged food, simply because it’s cheaper and keeps longer.