An airplane coffee warning shared by flight attendant Kat Kamalani went viral on TikTok, racking up nearly 2 million views by January 21, 2020. In the video, Kamalani advises travelers to avoid certain in-flight beverages—especially those made with hot water like tea and coffee—due to unsanitary conditions on board.
Kamalani’s advice is rooted in her firsthand experience. She warns that drinks made with aircraft water, such as coffee or tea, may not be the safest options. According to her, the onboard water tanks are rarely cleaned, and worse yet, they’re located alarmingly close to the plane’s lavatories. The implication? Contamination is a real concern. She also points out that the coffee machines themselves are not cleaned regularly and are typically only serviced when they malfunction.
Another tip in the viral clip specifically targets parents traveling with babies. Kamalani strongly recommends avoiding hot water provided directly for baby bottles. Instead, she suggests a safer workaround: ask for both a cup of hot water and a sealed bottle of room-temperature water. This allows parents to mix and warm the baby’s formula safely using indirect heat, reducing the risk of contamination.
The reaction to Kamalani’s airplane coffee warning was mixed. While many viewers thanked her for shedding light on a common travel oversight, others—especially those in the aviation industry—pushed back. One commenter who claimed over 20 years of experience as a flight attendant dismissed her claims as exaggerated. They emphasized that while cleaning schedules may vary between airlines, many crew members regularly drink onboard coffee themselves and have no issue with its quality.
Still, Kamalani’s video taps into a broader concern about hygiene and safety on airplanes. With limited water storage space and tight turnaround times between flights, deep cleaning isn’t always a top priority. This has led some health experts to advise passengers to stick to beverages served in sealed containers, such as bottled water, juice, or canned soda.
The issue of airplane water quality isn’t new. In fact, a 2019 study conducted by the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center ranked the drinking water on various U.S. airlines and found major inconsistencies. Some carriers provided relatively clean water, while others scored poorly due to bacterial presence. The takeaway? It’s wise to err on the side of caution.
Beyond the coffee conversation, Kamalani has built a sizable social media following by sharing behind-the-scenes airline tips and travel hacks. From how to stay healthy on a flight to what snacks to bring onboard, her TikTok presence has made her a go-to source for curious travelers. Her airplane coffee warning, in particular, has sparked an ongoing conversation about the importance of transparency when it comes to in-flight services.
As travelers continue to prioritize health and hygiene—especially in the post-pandemic era—Kamalani’s video serves as a timely reminder to think twice about what you consume mid-flight. Whether you agree with her or not, her message has struck a chord with millions, and it raises important questions about cleanliness standards in the skies.
In the end, the choice is yours: sip that in-flight coffee or opt for something sealed and safe. But thanks to Kamalani’s viral video, passengers are now more informed than ever before.