Expert says these are the items of clothing you should avoid on a flight or risk them 'melting on your skin'

When thinking of what to wear for a long journey one thing comes to mind, and that's to be comfy.

On travel day I'll be in my comfiest garms, which is predominantly a pair of joggers, a t-shirt and a jumper, because often you climb onboard and get hit by what feels like a cool breeze - really it's dozens of miniature fans firing cold air at passengers up and down the plane.

While my priority is comfort, others wish to look 'presentable' - I'm speaking of the parents over 45, but an aviation expert has warned that we should actually be considering whether your outfit will work for you in a crisis.

So, here is a list of things not to wear the next time you fly, incase the worst happens.

Leggings

Aviation safety specialist Christine Negroni explained that the reason why you should avoid slipping a pair of leggings on for a flight is actually to prepare for the worst.

"[Leggings] will either melt on your skin or cause serious burns," in the event of a fire, she told Huffington Post. "[It] is not something you want to wear on an airplane because the largest risk in a survivable air accident is fire."

The reason being is that a lot of the major brands use petroleum products and synthetic fibers in their products.

Wearing leggings on a plane is a big no-no, according to a flight safety expert (Getty stock)

Sliders, flip-flops, and high-heels

Next up are sliders, flip-flops and high-heels, and you can probably guess why. Yes, it's for safety, again if God forbid anything ever happens.

Andrea Fischbach, a flight attendant working for American Airlines, told Who What Wear: “I would really advise against high-heels or flip-flops or any slides, mostly for safety purposes.

“If there is an evacuation and slides are required, your high-heels will have to come off, as they can puncture the slide,” she continued.

“Who knows where and in what conditions you’ll land. Plus, they aren’t very practical running gate to the gate.”

Flip-flops to board a plane? Probably not the best idea, according to Fischbach (Getty stock)

Taking your shoes off

Many of us take our shoes off - I'm guilty of it on long flights - but if I'm only going an hour or so, my puppies stay hidden. Negroni actually advises against doing so.

“If you escape an aircraft, the floor could be very hot or cold, it might be covered in oil or on fire, or in a cornfield – you won’t want to be barefoot,” she explained while speaking to The Sun.

Exposing your legs

This final one isn't really to do with a crisis or safety, more so against germs.

Taking to TikTok, flight attendant Tommy Cimato added: "You never know how clean the seat is going to be – so if you have pants, you’re going to have less germs."