Flight Attendant Reveals Why Your Favorite Window Seat Might Be Bad For You
What experts say about radiation and long-haul flights.
When boarding a flight, most passengers fall into one of two groups: those who fight for the window seat and those who stick to the aisle. Both sides have their reasons - views versus convenience - but the window has always carried a certain prestige.
Looking down at the clouds, cities, and landscapes below can feel almost magical. Yet, as appealing as it looks, there’s a hidden health risk many travelers don’t consider.
A flight attendant recently sparked discussion on TikTok after sharing surprising information about what it means to sit by the window with the shade up. Aislinn Swain, who also happens to be a bodybuilder, admitted that even she was shocked to discover the full picture.
“As a flight attendant, I can’t believe I didn’t know this sooner,” she said in her video.
Her main concern? Ultraviolet radiation. Most people think of sunscreen and shade when lying on a beach, not when sitting comfortably in an airplane seat.
But according to Swain, the same rules apply. She explained that the amount of UV exposure a person gets during just one hour at the window seat can equal what they’d be exposed to during 20 minutes in a tanning bed.
“When you find out just 60 minutes in the window seat on a flight has as much UV radiation as 20 minutes in a tanning bed,” she said, adding, “AND cabin crew and pilots are double as likely to get skin cancer.”
Her main concern? Ultraviolet radiation.
Flight attendants warn that window seat sun exposure and radiation may pose hidden risks.
That’s a sobering statistic for frequent flyers and aviation workers alike. Swain’s advice was straightforward: wear sunscreen before flying, reapply it if you’re on a long flight, and keep the window shade down whenever possible.
The comments on her video showed just how unexpected this revelation was. One user who also works as a flight attendant wrote,
“I’m a flight attendant oh no.”Another chimed in, pointing out that passengers should be more worried about radiation exposure from flying than from the occasional medical X-ray.
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Even experts outside aviation confirmed the concern. A former X-ray technician commented that people often worry unnecessarily about radiation in hospitals, but don’t realize that flying contributes its own exposure.
For instance, a long-haul flight from New York to Los Angeles is equivalent to 0.04 mSv of radiation, while a chest X-ray is 0.1 mSv. Scientific studies back up these concerns.
The Skin Cancer Foundation points out that airplane windows do filter UVB rays (the ones responsible for sunburns), but they don’t block UVA rays. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and are strongly linked to skin cancer. Research also shows that UVA levels at flight altitudes can be two to three times higher than at ground level.
Pilots face a higher melanoma risk from cockpit UV exposure, studies show.
One study from the University of Manchester revealed that pilots may experience UVA exposure similar to spending 20 minutes in a tanning bed for every hour in the cockpit.
A 2015 study went even further, finding that pilots and cabin crew are about twice as likely to develop melanoma compared to the general population.
While researchers can’t say for sure whether the increased risk comes mainly from time spent in the air or time spent outdoors during downtime, the connection is clear enough to raise concern.
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The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends simple yet effective steps: apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher before a flight, wear protective clothing such as long sleeves, and close the window shade to reduce exposure.
For those who prefer to skip sunscreen, choosing an aisle seat is another way to limit UVA contact. The message is clear - while the view out of the window is beautiful, it comes with risks that most people never think about.
Whether you’re a frequent flyer or only travel occasionally, protecting your skin at cruising altitude should be as routine as buckling your seatbelt.
