The clothes, shoes, bags & items you SHOULDN’T wear on planes
THE summer holidays are about to start with families getting ready to jet off on their well-deserved holidays.
When it comes to flying you might be surprised to know there are items that you strictly should not be wearing, or taking, on a flight.
Clothing
Comfy clothing is key when it comes to travelling – but some items of clothing that fall under this category are ones you shouldn’t wear
Leggings, for example, are a no go.
Christine Negroni, who released a book on the world’s most mysterious air disasters, shared with Sun Travel that when it comes to fires onboard a flight, leggings could leave you with terrible scars.
She said: “Everyone is wearing yoga pants on planes now, but I avoid all artificial fibres because they are more likely to burn and stick to you if there is a fire.
“I’d advise wearing cotton clothes or anything made of natural fibres.”
Anything that restricts blood flow is also not advisable – particularly for long journeys.
The vein specialist at Metro Vein Centers told the Huffington Post: “Wearing restrictive garments such as skinny jeans that are too tight reduces blood’s ability to flow into and out of the legs.”
This, combined with sitting for long periods of time, can cause blood to pool in the legs, which increasing the chances of thrombosis – a serious condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein of the leg.
To be safe, it’s advisable to wear non-restrictive clothing, like trousers, skirts, shorts or dresses that have an elastic waistband.
Any clothing with swear words or offensive slogans could see you asked to cover up before boarding too.
Holidaymakers who are flying to a hot destination are encouraged to dress “modestly”.
So no wearing a bikini or swim trunks before getting to your destination.
Shoes
For any fan of flip flops, these aren’t advisable to wear onboard a flight – again, for health and safety reasons.
Former cabin crew member Tony Kuna commented on Quora: “During an emergency, all sorts of debris and unpleasant ground surfaces will block your way towards the exit, as well as outside the aircraft.”
“If your feet [aren’t] properly covered, you’ll have a hard time making your way to safety.”
Sitting in the same category are high heels – as these won’t be easy to wear in an emergency.
For more on what to wear – here are the travel bags, plane outfits and accessories we love that start from 99p.
Bags
There’s fewer rules when it comes to bags – apart from make sure they comply with the measurements of the airline.
But to give yourself full comfort, it’s advisable to take a less rigid bag with you if it’s going under the seat.
Having a stiff bag, like a basket or weave one, will restrict your own legroom as it can’t be compressed.
Other items
It might be tempting to pop your contact lenses in before a flight to avoid the faff of glasses.
But the dry environment on a flight really isn’t suitable.
On the London Vision Clinic website, it explains: “With the average humidity on planes coming in as low as 20 per cent, our skin and eyes can dry out pretty quickly.
“Combine this with the moisture-sapping effects of contact lenses, and you can have a real recipe for disaster on your hands.”
Wearing contact lenses on flights can cause itchy, irritated eyes and can even result in “distorted vision”.
Of course, don’t forget to pack your power bank in your hand luggage rather than a checked in bag.
The lithium in portable chargers mean that they pose a risk of overheating and even catching fire.
As a result, there has been a ban on having power banks in hold luggage since 2016.
Airlines ask passengers to take portable power banks in hand luggage, but they strictly cannot be used during a flight.