Writing on his website, Ott has revealed a list of things most passengers do, that he refuses. Most of them are in order to stay healthy and prevent catching any nasties, but a couple on the list may surprise you - such as why you need to watch what you put in the overhead locker.
Frequent flyer Gilbert Ott warns that aeroplane water tanks are like petri dishes. Photo / Thomas Barwick, Getty Images
You'd hope boiling water for a hot beverage would help kill the nasties, but Ott says apparently the coffee pots themselves aren't too flash either.
Best bring a reusable water bottle with you and fill up with the filtered water on the other side of airport security before boarding, even if just for brushing your teeth.
Don't read the in-flight magazine
Some of us love nothing more than settling into our seats and pulling out the airline's magazine to start our journey in the sky. But Ott may make you think twice about your flying routine.
"Airplane seats rarely get cleaned to the extent they should be, so how do you think the magazines fare? Think about hundreds of passengers each and every week putting their unwashed, sometimes greasy - or worse, germ filled - hands all over each page."
Eek. Thank goodness for e-readers.
Don't stay seated for too long
The risks of deep vein thrombosis have been well documented over the years, which means it's easy to become complacent. Especially for those mid-haul flights where you might only need one toilet break.
Ott writes it's crucial to get up every couple of hours to get the blood flowing. Even if he has enough room to spread out, Ott says he makes sure he gets up to stretch and move to get the heart rate pumping a little bit.
Don't wear only one layer of clothing
Layers are not only about comfort as you adjust to the in-flight air conditioned temperatures, but they can help keep you healthy if you're seated near an ickie sickie.
Ott claims it's apparently scientifically true that if you pull a layer over your nose and mouth in the immediate aftermath of someone sneezing, it can greatly reduce your risk of breathing in the germs.
With that in mind, he always has a hoodie, scarf or additional layer in case of a stray sneeze.
This isn't new, but the message still hasn't got through to everyone. For the love of all things good and holy in this world, don't go barefoot. No one wants to see your slimes anywhere near them while confined in a small space with a recycled air supply.
Ott writes that socks are totally fine, but barefoot is a total no-no, mainly for your own safety and hygiene.
"Continuing the theme that planes are one of the most biologically terrifying places on and above the earth, any minor wounds could be exposed to potentially life threatening bacteria."
Bare feet on a plane are a no-no. Photo / Tang Ming Tung, Getty Images
Bacteria aside, going barefoot on a plane is just bad etiquette.
Don't put valuables in the overhead bins
You'd think in a confined space your belongings would be relatively safe, right?
Ott says beware the international crime syndicates that target overhead bins.
"These groups wait until the lights are out when passengers are sleeping, and they make gut assessments about which bags may have a laptop, cash stash or something valuable," he writes.
And if you were fast asleep while the thieves were at work, you won't notice anything is missing until it's too late.
Ott says valuables such as passports and wallets stay close to him at all times.
Don't argue with cabin crew
This is less about your own health, and more about the general mental wellbeing of all those around you - and keeping your own stress levels in check.
"Even if I think I'm right, and the person is being unjustified in whatever they're doing, nobody wins if you have an aggressive argument with airline personnel, and the stress isn't helpful either," says Ott.
His advice - shut up and move on.
Don't lose to dehydration
If you're drinking alcohol on a flight, always drink at least equal the amount in water - preferably double.
"Air travel is incredibly dehydrating, which not only makes you feel sub optimal, but also makes your glands more susceptible to picking up germs," says Ott.
Don't rely on in-flight entertainment
Just like why you should no longer read the latest in-flight magazine, those entertainment screens and remotes are rife with unwashed passengers' hand germs.
Tray tables aren't the only things on a plane rife with bacteria. Photo / Suhyeon Choi, Unsplash
Ott downloads content onto his own mobile device or tablet and always uses his own wireless headphones to avoid needing to touch anything around him.
Ott writes that the two most critical moments in a flight are take-off and landing, so he always keeps his shoes on until he's well up in the air - and puts them back on before descent.
He says if your shoes are off during the unlikely event of an emergency, you can get cut, trampled or immobilised because of it.
Don't touch anything you don't need to
The overall theme in Ott's piece is simply avoid touching things that might be laden with bacteria.
Be it screens, tray tables or down the side of your seat, Ott says to avoid touching anywhere that other people's germy hands have been.
"I never reach too far down into a seat crevice, try to use a sleeve to tap or grab things that are part of the aircraft and just generally try to keep my hands away from any surface which might hold the thing that makes me every other passengers nightmare – a sniffling, coughing human seated within inches."
