With turn-arounds at airports now down to minutes and basic food service almost entirely scrapped in order for airlines to squeeze more pennies out of every fare, airplanes have become filthy with the rotting refuse of a thousand carry-on McDonald’s sack lunches.

The New York Times has a great look at the issue, particularly in regards to Delta, which had let its deep cleaning schedule plummet from 30 days to 15-18 months, leading to experiences from fliers like this…

“You put your hand in the seatback pocket and there’s an open McDonald’s ketchup container in there,” said Joe Brancatelli, a frequent flier who runs an advice Web site for business travelers. Tidiness

Way to link him, by the way, New York Times. We’ll do it for you. His site is The Thoughtful Traveler. Consider it a side compendium to our favorite frequent flyer site, Upgrade Travel.

Beware of the Squish Behind the Jet Seat [NY Times]

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