I don't see how people could go barefoot. It gets mighty cold once you're at cruising alt. for a bit and the feet are one of the parts of the body that notice it the most. I do frequently sit in exit rows, but even when I don't the floor gets pretty cold.

I also take off my shoes, but I always wear nice, warm, clean Thorlo socks out of respect to other passangers. Although I don't find the sight of bare feet to be repugnant. It certainly isn't like looking at a Monet (unless you have a foot fetish), but it's not exactly stepping in dog s*it. I do agree that going to the bathroom barefoot is disgusting. That's where you go over the line of my disgust threshold, although not because of hygeine, just smell. For that, I put my shoes (NB 991's, which is the most comfortable sneaker ever, particularly when doing a lot of walking in a big city or working long shifts where you're on your feet a lot) back on. Just my two centavos.