If you get a cold without fail after every flight, you might be sitting in the wrong seat. Now, we can't promise you complete immunity (after all, germs will be germs), but you can apparently increase your odds of avoiding infection if you sit in a window seat and then stay there for the entire flight.
According to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, human movement around the cabin spreads germs more than recirculated air. And since where you sit on a plane impacts the likelihood that you'll get up from your seat (80% of people in aisle seats walk around the cabin, while only 62% in middle seats and 43% in window seats do), it also determines your chances of coming into contact with germs.
But if you're on Team Aisle, don't worry: The study also found that on a flight of 150 passengers with one sick passenger, on average only one person will leave the plane infected. And it's not the aisle seat that puts patrons at risk. In this case, it's the 11 passengers closest to the sick person, including the two to the right, two to the left, and people directly in front of and behind them.
So the next time you sit down next to someone with a wad of crumpled tissues in their lap, turn on your overhead air vent to move as many germs away from you as possible.
Follow Delish on Instagram.
Download the Delish app.
