bocastephen

There is no FAA regulation about shoes - period. As a matter of hygiene and safety, I always wear close-top shoes when flying, although I often remove them when I'm at my seat. I'd never go into the lav barefoot - not enough antibiotics in the world for that.

However - the FA was wrong, and needs to be written up. Franky, I would have removed my shoes mid-flight and dared her to do something about it. I'm so sick and tired of this stupidity. Would I be arrested upon arrival for refusing crewmember instructions? Perhaps, but the charges would need to be dropped as the instructions were not valid or enforceable.

The FAA states you must comply with crewmember instructions - however, those instructions must be based upon FAA regs, airline ops rules, or the safety/security of the aircraft and its passengers. A FA cannot order you to go stand on your head or stop chewing gum or something else that has no bearing whatsoever on the flight.

What you could have done was dared the both of them to remove you, then claimed IDB and filed a suit. Your options now are limited to just writing in, and your letter will probably land in some Indian contractor's inbox and you'll receive a canned response. If you have any status with AA, you can send snailmail to the attention of the CEO and see if that gets any traction.