Purell-type sanitizer in place of soap on some planes
 

On a few CO planes recently, there's been Purell-type hand sanitizer in the lav in place of the usual soap. Am I the only one who wants to wash my hands with actual soap and water rather than using a sanitizer that says "do not use with water?" And I definitely want the FAs and other pax to use soap and water too. Sanitizer may kill 99% of bacteria, but it sure doesn't wash off bits of ickiness that might find their way onto hands.

Besides, I like the cherry-almond scent of CO soap (really, I do). :D

I'd noticed this on a few flights recently too. Particularly ERJ flights.

I'd rather have soap and water too. And I too quite liked the CO soap smell!

There's a time and a place for the smell of alcohol, and hand cleaner in the can isn't it!

No word on the change, but I love that smell, too!

I wonder if this is a weight saving measure. Using this type of product means less water is loaded = less weight = less fuel used.

This might be a good thing on the ERJ..... as it seems like the water in the bathrooms on the ERJ seems to not work more than one sees on the Boeing planes.

This is most common on the 737-300/500 series aircraft. On these aircraft, due to cost-saving measures, water pressure isn't available on the ground due to the pilots receiving instructions to keep the APU off (this is also why it's so hot now when you get on a plane... if enough of you write the company letters, maybe this will change. We hate this just as much as you do!!!), so these are in place to allow you, the customer, to wash your hands after using the restroom on the ground.

I really like the purell like hand sanitizer, it makes your hands cleaner than the soap in reality.

I thought this was the case. This is shades of the "bad old days", and I'd love to know who to complain to besides Scott. I also believe that they are running the A/C less in-flight on some of my recent rides, but that's a different thread. :)

Not to get off topic but the way Purell works is that it kills all microorganisms on the skin's surface, even the good ones. There are studies out there that suggest we are increasing the likelihood of "superbugs" by using Purell or any other type of hand sanitizer.

Not a fan of the hand sanitizer creeping onto CO's mainline aircraft. Most hospitals have the rule for employees of only being allowed to use the sanitizer three times before having to wash hands with soap and water. CO's use of sanitizer doesn't allow for this.

I'm kind of caught in the middle of this. Where I'd like to see full soap and water, yet since it takes 2-3 minutes to properly wash one's hands on an aircraft I notice the majority of the time that's not happening. So a quick dab of hand sanitizer, especially for FA's in food preparation may be better than what they're currently doing.

I think they put hand sanitizer on an RJ because the sink is always out of order.

Could be that, or it could be to defend against the "unwashed masses" we keep hearing about. :rolleyes:

THATS what that scent is?!

This time of year, you can get more folks in shorts and t shirts. We tend to get more complaints during this time about the cabin being cold, so perhaps that is why the cabin seems warm. OR, it is warmer in the lower altitudes making it more difficult for the cabin to cool down altogether.

Does anyone know if running the a/c less during the flight saves money? Interesting idea.

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