Originally Posted by
AADJ
In an emergency situation they can come off or get hung up a lot easier than fully enclosed shoes. You wouldn't want to walk thru burning jet fuel, broken glass or twisted metal barefoot.
How many people in the history of the world have died because they wore flip flops or the like instead of laceups on an airplane? If one is concerned about risks such as this, one should also never step foot in a bathtub (risk of slipping), nor perhaps ever step outside (risk of lightning).
I don't wear flip flops on airplanes, but that's only because my feet would get cold.
A few proposals for airplane dress codes.