GETTING off a plane after a long flight can offer a great sense of relief for passengers, in many different ways.
Not only is it a chance to stand up and stretch out, it's also an opportunity to use a toilet that's not squashed inside a tiny cupboard.
For that reason, lots of people head straight to the first loo they come across after getting into the airport, which could be a big mistake.
Travel expert and host of TV show Places to Love Samantha Brown said that going to the second or even the third toilet in the airport after arrival is a much better idea.
She said that far fewer people will use those facilities, meaning passengers are much less likely to get stuck in extra, needless queues.
In a blog post on her website, she wrote: "As soon as I disembark I head to the second closest bathroom.
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"I say second because everyone usually beelines for the first, and that means getting stuck in a line! More often than not the second or third closest bathrooms in the airport are next to empty and you can go right on in and do your business."
Samantha advises always using at least one of the toilets at the airport after arrival, even if you're not desperate – because you never know how much you could be held up at customs on arrival.
She said it's always better to do all the post-arrival stuff "on an empty bladder".
She continued: "I always try to go to the bathroom in the airport now because you truly never know how things are going to go with customs, getting to your hotel, checking in, and finally lugging all your things to your room."
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There are passengers who avoid the airport toilets altogether, assuming they're the dirtiest place in the terminal.
However, research has proved that simply isn't the case.
A study from an airport in Finland conducted between 2015-16, revealed that the plastic security trays are actually a much worse spot for germs.
This is down to the face that it's every passenger will almost inevitably have to touch one of them while passing through the airport.
What's more, the plastic trays are said to have surfaces where "prolonged virus survival" is much more commonplace.
The researchers who carried out the study said: "Security procedures are an obligatory step for all departing passengers, and each security tray is rapidly recycled and potentially touched by several hundred passengers per day.
"Also, plastic security trays are non-porous and virus survival is known to be prolonged."
Therefore, it could be a good idea to use the toilets at the airport before your flight, especially if it lets you avoid the ones on the plane.
Sun Online Travel's resident flight attendant explained why it's a good idea to give them a swerve if possible.
They said: "I've seen some pretty horrible things in those toilets, which aren't cleaned as much as people would hope.
"The worst is people going in without shoes or, even worse, without socks on their feet.
"I would always recommend using those toilets as little as possible because they're not nice places.
"If you've got to go in though, make sure you're wearing something on your feet because the floor in there is horrific."
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Meanwhile, these two items could cause people big problems at airport security.
And this is why you shouldn't rely on the airport screens for information.
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