apirchik

Following the survey about the seatbelt I wonder -

Do you take your shoes off on the plane , and when?

I take them off as soon as I board the plane and get to my seat. I put them back on when the "fasten seatbelt" light turns off after landing.

Carioca Canuck

Yes.......I always remove my shoes just after takeoff.

I don't put them on until we are on the final approach before landing.

Paul3456

Only on international flights. If flying 1st or biz I'll use the socks & slippers that are given to me. If in the cattle section, I try to remember to bring some that I took from a previous flight.

HK-UMICH

Yes for international flights.

Take off around 10 mins after take off and put them on again when I feel the "decending" of the plane.

raffy

On a flight last year from SFO to KIX, my traveling companion and I, who were seated in coach, took off our shoes shortly after takeoff.

The FA, who was sitting across from us, we were seated in the emergency exit, began taking to us about how she preferred that passengers not take off thier shoes in the event of a crash landing. "Imagine stepping all over the broken glass, the spilled fuel and possible fire" she said. This has nothing to do with being seated in the emergency exit, but I felt it was inappropriate nonetheless.

If I take my shoes off, I don't always, it is after the plane has left the ground, in the event I'm asked to give up my seat for a separated family. I will put them back on after we've landed and are on the runway. I must admit, though there are no rules regarding taking one's shoes off, I have been on flights where odor eaters were in order for other passengers. It was a smelly experience.

l etoile

Never. Feet swell in airplanes and so taking them off can make them very uncomfortable to put back on.

Eastbay1K

On short flights (3 hrs or less) rarely. On Int'l, usually when the kits with socks are passed out. On long domestic, usually pretty quickly after settling in the seat... and I try and remember to wear old socks that can be tossed.

Punki

I always take my shoes off on long flights and very rarely on flight under two hours.

letiole my feet swell sometimes as well. That is one of the reasons why I love to wear my East Spirit velcro closure sandals when I fly. They are great, dressy looking enough to wear with a suit and stockings and casual enough to wear with bare feet and a sundress.

joanek

Shoes off, as soon as I'm seated---and I'm 100% with my CO Plat upgrades this year, so it's no shoes up front. And I have gotten my share of comments from coach passengers who watch "the unveiling." I also try very hard to get a pedicure before a trip, so they have something nice to look at! (batting about 95% on this one)

I always pack a pair of padded hiking socks to put on my feet to keep them warm....sometimes two!

[This message has been edited by joanek (edited 07-10-2000).]

Library Dragon

After take off I take them off. Usually wait until we've landed to put them on. The time it takes to taxi is long enough to put on shoes that don't need to be tied. I'm with Punki, something easy that can deal with swollen feet. I usually wear socks since my feet get cold.

Shareholder

Interesting subject. I always carry a pair of slipper-style sockettes from international business class flights in my travel case/brief case for domestic flights (and back cabin international ones). I prefer slipper style over sock type which appears to be more prevalent. I wait until take-off and when we have leveled out, take my shoes off and slip them on. Suppose I feel like that FA, if we ever did go down, there'd be a lot of glass and other items to walk over, or I'd be out on the tarmac or grass with nothing solid on my feet. (And the ground gets pretty cold up here nine months of the year...)

Once I feel the plane desending, I generally will take the slippers off and pack them away in a small bag, put on my shoes and ready myself for landing.

Over the years, I've built up a good supply of these slippers, so I can change them every few of flights. (It was touch and go for a while when most carriers dropped this style in favour of the thicker sock-type footware in F and J. Fortunately, Canadian Airlines began using my favourite style a couple of years ago, and I have since built up a new supply. Hope that AC will adopt these and abandon the sock variety.

NYC1

I take them off on international flights and flights longer than 2 hours shortly after sitting down. I put them back on when we're on final approach.
I always use the socks from the amenity kits.
As to feet swelling, you can actually hurt yourself if your shoes are too tight and you don't take them off

TransWorldOne

I take my shoes off immediately, stow them in my bag, and put on a pair of Lands' End slippers. Sometimes I do this before boarding.

JIMBOLIGUY

I take my shoes off for all flights. I used to remove them as soon as I sat down. A friend of mine is an Ameican Eagle Captain and he told me I should not take them off until after the plane lifts off the ground (in case of any problems).

--Jim

FQTV

I love my polarfleece slippers, but as Jimbo's Eagle pilot astutely reinforces, I never put them on until the FL100 ding.

It would not be fun to have them melting on one's feet while running through burning JP9, twisted metal, or worse.