Long flights are tiring. To make them more comfortable, some take off their shoes and even take off their socks, without thinking about what others will think about it in a public place. So, a travel expert gave a controversial opinion about the etiquette of passengers regarding shoes, which very few would agree with, but categorically stated the need to leave socks on.
Every day tourists annoy each other on planes as they get trapped for hours next to strangers with strange habits. So, one of the main problems that occurs quite often concerns the legs and whether passengers can take off their shoes and socks during the flight.
The general consensus is that taking off your shoes is a bad idea, and taking off your socks is even worse. it is against etiquette and hygiene. However, Sarah James, Associate Director of Digital at Condé Nast Traveler, has a different opinion. According to her, it is quite normal when passengers take off their shoes during the flight, but taking off their socks is still too much.
“As I write these lines, I am sitting on a plane with no shoes on. I have no problem with any of my linemates doing the same. I'm a firm believer in wearing socks and I put on my shoes before I go to the salon or go to the bathroom, but I'm not totally opposed to people going without socks. I am against bare feet invading my personal space. But if your neighbor can't learn basic manners, his feet are probably the least of your worries,” she said and urged not to make a fuss about it.
However, there are indeed many reasons why passengers should never take off their socks on an airplane, especially since flight attendants have repeatedly explained how disgusting it can be to walk barefoot on dirty floors. One of the crew members previously wrote in a Reddit thread: “I assure you that nine times out of ten the liquid on the floor in the airplane toilet is not water. Toilets are often disgusting and only cleaned thoroughly at the end of the route, for us this can mean flying from one end of the world to another. Imagine how “beautiful” they are at the end of a 12-hour flight with 200 people using them.” And flight attendant Raven Johnson has also previously warned about the irregularity of cleaning airliner cabins. “Yes, they clean the planes much more often than before, but still you are not at home.”
By the way, not only flight attendants strongly advise passengers that it is better to stay in socks during the flight. So, orthopedist Ebony Vincent also noted for The Washington Post that walking around the salon barefoot is dangerous due to bacteria and is fraught with their further transmission: “You can catch a fungus, not to mention the millions of germs and bacteria that you can transfer to carpets, into hotel rooms or houses and cars, which poses a danger to other people.”
After all, walking barefoot is not only unhygienic, but can also jeopardize the safety of the tourist in the event of a plane crash. Tony Kuna, who used to work as a flight attendant, explained it this way: “During an emergency, all sorts of debris and debris will block your way to the exit. If your legs are not properly covered, it will be difficult for you to get to safety. You are not Die Hard 2's John McCain.
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