PAX who run around in bare feet on airplanes (especially public bathrooms) are scumbags.

Sorry, didn't mean to sugar coat it. :D

Sorry but I am a sock loving flyer especially on red eyes or long haul flights. Wouldn't be completey bare foot though that would kind of gross me out.

I agree that walking around the plane barefoot is a bit distasteful but what's wrong about being barefoot in your seat (provided there is no offensive odor)?

I often do this on long-haul flights (ORD-NRT) although I admit I tend to cover my bare feet with a blanket because I do feel a little self-conscious about this.

Taking your shoes off in your seat is fine, but nobody wants to see your feet

Yes, and the world is a dirty place. Have you ever been to NYC - it smells like urine.

All smells are particulate...

That's strange. On long-haul flights, the substantial majority of pax in the F and J cabins (or at least those who appear to be regular travelers) remove their shoes immediately upon boarding or shortly after departure. Indeed, I've been on some F sleeper suites which appear to have foot lockers designed into them.

A valid point.
I also doubt that airlines airlines expect you to wear shoes with the socks they give you onboard.

Not trying to troll - but it escapes me what the obvious health issue is here. I know people who barely ever put shoes on (ok, not in winter in the northern US) and live regular student city lives. They don't seem to suffer any health problems once their skin is nice and toughened. I don't do it myself, but not for health reasons (just don't have tough enough feet yet, though marathon running is getting me there). Several top marathoners run road marathons barefoot. So rather than take up the thread with a discussion of this since you all seem pretty much to agree, can someone point me to a scientific article discussing the health risks of not wearing shoes, since I just can't see what they are? Thanks.

Believe it or not, passengers looove to complain about other passengers. One of the biggest complaints is smelly feet or simply seeing someone's nasty feet.

People also have all kinds of gross problems with their feet such as fungus, plantar warts and other lovely things that could be contagious to someone else.

If you are at your seat and your feet are bare and covered it is one thing. If your feet are bare and you are rubbing them up and down the carpeted bulkhead it is another.

It's kind of a judgment thing and passenger complaints contribute to it. I usually tell the people waltzing around the plane barefoot that you never know how much urine and puke you are actually walking over because what happens on one flight isn't always visible on the next. People always go rushing off to put their shoes on when they realize what a germ factory the plane actually is.

I used to put my barefeet on the pillow after I walked barefoot to the lav :D

Just kidding.

Last week in first on the bulkhead seat, the guy next to me before takeoff proceeds to take off his shoes, then his socks, then rub in between his toes, then put his barefeet about 3-4 feet up on the bulkhead wall, where they stayed for about 30 minutes.

NASTY

So that's why they eliminated the pillows... :)

Agree with you here. I don't see why bare feet are any worse than wearing socks. Do you really think that socks "keep anything contained" if there is anything? I don't often wear tevas on planes but, when I do, I'm barefoot in my seat. I'll put back on the tevas to go to the lav, or for any other walking around. As for odor, socks would actually make things worse than tevas without socks. Not sure what the issue really is, other than perception.

Cheers.

Americans are VERY "foot phobic". Feet are just like hands...they touch things. If looking at someones feet doesn't 'please you', then look away...As long as my feet don't have an offensive odor, and that also should hold true for every part of someone, then big whoop. It has been proven MANY times over that people who are barefoot often have healthier feet than those who arent. Things that grow and cause problems need dark, moist places...ie your shoes/socks. It amazes me how people are so 'turned off' by feet, as if they were a rectum or something...And as per the person who was told that it was a health hazard to have their shoes and socks off while a meal was served, thats a common myth...it's not true at all, unless someone is touching everyones food with their feet, which I don't think is happening. It's also not illegal to go into a restraunt barefoot (signs that say no shoes no service by order of the health department are actually lieing) and it's also perfectly legal to drive barefoot...the ONLY thing thats not legal is doing SOME jobs barefoot, and thats due to OSHA and having heavy things fall on your feet, not due to hygine...

On my flight SFO-MUC wed evening and this guy was going barefoot all around the plane...it was already bad to see his feet in the aisle but then,it happened!I went to the toilets and....YES!he came out of the toilet barefoot...that's just disgusting...

Now, I am not one to WANT to step in urine...but if you are going to step in it with your shoes on, or barefoot, you are going to spread it in the same manner. So the ONLY health issue here is for the actual person walking themselves, and NOT to the plane in general.