The Hot Towel
 

When in First, do you wipe your face with the hot towel? So many do, but do we really know where that towel has been?

Only use it to wipe/wash hands. Have always thought it is a nice touch.

Welcome to FlyerTalk HotNsunnyNphoenix.

I always do. I've observed the Flight Attendants preparing them on numerous CO and HP flights and have no hesitation whatsoever. The prep I've seen involves removing the towels from their pre-packaged plastic wrapper, placing them on a tray, pouring a controlled amount of water on each one, microwaving them to near steaming temperature and immediately offering one via tongs to each First Class passenger. Although not surgically sterile, I'm comfortable with the operation.

Is there something I'm missing?

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You can gamble for matchsticks and you can gamble for gold, but if you haven't gambled for love and lost, then you haven't gambled at all.

I have no prob with the towels. On UA anyway, they come out of a plastic-wrapped package and the FA puts the hot water on them and pushes the water in with a cup or some other object. They have no hand contact - certainly less than the towel you use in your hotel handled by the maid after being folded by someone else.

By the way THIS IS BUZZ RELATED BECAUSE THE ONLY REASON WE ARE IN F IS BECAUSE OF AN UPGRADE FROM PARTICIPATION IN THE FF PROGRAM OF OUR FAVO(U)RITE HOT TOWEL PROVIDING AIRLINE http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Eastbay1K (edited 06-28-2002).]

Hot towels....hmmm. let's see I think I have vague recollection of them. Yes, I remember now. Seems like years ago, but I guess it was just a year ago. . . .Definitely to be used on the face and once they have cooled down, then for use on the hands.

Looking forward to a ORD LAX trip on UA744 in late July in hopes of personnally refreshing my memory of that "hot towel experience."

Do they throw them away?

I think Qantas does. In fact, Qantas J (and presumably F) class uses those towels in the lavs, instead of paper towels. Passengers then toss them in the trash. Wasteful!

I use them on the hands then wipe the armrests to see how dirty they are. Sometimes they are black! On rare occasions, they are spotless (like when I was in an approximately 7 day old A321 on US.

Is this a prissy string or not? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

You must be careful touching that towel, sometimes cool, after they were handled with those tongs! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Yes use them to clean the armrests after you whipped your face and hands! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

A friend of mine once had a cleaning contract with Qantas (blankets, pillow covers, etc). When I asked him about this (and this is going back maybe 15 yrs) he said that the reason Qantas threw the towels away was that it cost more to have them cleaned to a sufficiently hygienic standard than to buy new ones.

Anyway, what would you prefer? Using a towel straight from the manufacturer, or one that someone once blew their nose on, wiped their kid's bum, cleaned up vomit etc and that you *hope* someone cleaned properly? I can see how a company would try to avoid this potential psychological aversion, even if it's totally irrational...

[edited to fix thinko]

[This message has been edited by aura (edited 06-29-2002).]

Forgive me, but the only REAL towels are those available on Asian carriers like SQ. What you get on UA is a joke... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Hot towels are good. However, has anyone ever had the instance where, and I should say carefully, "stinky" water was used? Tap water vs. bottled?

On a rare occasion, the towel smelled like well water.

No idea why.

My hot towel gets used in this order:

1. wipe face
2. wipw hands
3. clean personal video screen (if needed)
4. clean drink/tray area (if needed)

I always 'return' the towel by hand (with a THANK YOU) to the attendant's tray... I never expect them to reach out with tongs and grab it.

I never use(d) it for my face. I use the towel sometimes for my hands and mostly don't take it (Why should I clean my face or my hands after boarding? I never understood this towel thing).

I'm always surprised how many passengers clean their faces with the towel: it remembers me of the herd and its leader. The first takes the towel and cleans his face - the others will follow with the same procedure.

If it is "Buzz" related, then it should be in "Travel" rather than "Miles". Please follow it there.

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Craig6z
Buzz & United Moderator
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