You should never order this drink on a flight – here's why

Updated April 25, 2025, 7:20 a.m. | By East Coast Breakfast / Skyye Ndlovu

At 30,000 feet, this innocent drink request could earn you silent side-eye from the crew. It’s not what you think… but it might make you rethink your next sip.

Imagine you’re soaring 30,000 feet in the air, and the snack trolley is making its way toward you.

You lean in with confidence to utter five seemingly innocent words: “Can I have a decaf?”

Cue the internal eye roll from your flight attendant.

According to those in the sky-high trenches, ordering coffee on a plane (especially decaf) earns you a one-way ticket to silent judgement.

Why? Because plane coffee is… well, gross – and that’s being polite.

Flight attendant Leanna Coy didn’t mince words in her now-viral TikTok.

“You’re telling me you actually enjoy the taste of airplane coffee so much that you’d drink it without needing the caffeine boost?!”

@leannacoy Adults ordering apple juice? Pop off. Marg at 10am? Slay. Bloody Mary? Gross, but that’s your preference. Decaf AIRPLANE coffee though?🤨 #flightattendant #flightattendantthings #cabincrew #flightattendantlife ♬ Club Penguin Pizza Parlor - Cozy Penguin

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Turns out, the coffee itself isn’t the only issue. The real problem is everything that happens behind the scenes.

Former flight attendant turned pilot Kevin spilt the beans (pun intended), and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Let’s just say, airplane coffeepots often get dumped into the toilet. Not the fancy kind. The sky can.

Kevin worries about “backsplash of particles, bacteria, whatever” flying straight back into the pot. Bon appétit!

Add to that the fact that the water tanks used for brewing are rarely cleaned, and you’ve got yourself a steaming cup of nope.

Delta pilot Paul Janowicz puts airplane coffee on his “Do Not Drink” list, right up there with booze and fizzy drinks.

Simply because the caffeine adds to the already dehydrating environment of a plane.

So not only is it questionably brewed, it’ll parch you like a day in the Karoo.

Experts agree. Your safest bet is still water. Not the stuff from the plane tank, mind you (unless you enjoy a side of microbes), but your own bottled water.

Lisa Valente, a nutrition specialist, says water keeps you hydrated and happy. If you want to mix it up, go for juices or sparkling water.

Anything sealed, bottled, and bacteria-free.

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If you really must have your caffeine fix, maybe grab a coffee at the terminal before boarding.

Otherwise, go with water, stay hydrated, and skip the questionable brew.

Somewhere in the cabin, a flight attendant will be silently cheering for you – or at least not judging you.