Barefoot on the plane
 

I have been noticing more and more people walking around barefoot on the plane. Yesterday, between ORD and DFW, there were at least 4 people...and I am not talking about children. These are grown men and women. Besides the obvious health issue, are there any policies AA has regarding in flight attire? What is next, shirtless passengers? I asked the FA and she shrugged her shoulders.

Eeww, especially the lavs. Sometimes it looks like someone emptied a firehose into them.

Sounds good to me. :)

Of course, you could probably fly WN and see something like that.

No Shirt
No Shoes
No Problem

It seems like you have discovered the true meaning of "The Southwest Effect."

I was on an ORD to LHR flight and this guy takes his freakin shoes and socks off just before dinner. The FA very politely tells him that it is a healthcode violation and she cannot serve dinner till he at least puts his socks back on.

What do you expect when our fine government (TSA) requires us to prance around in our socks as part of the qualification ritual for being granted the honor of entering the boarding area?

I wouldn't blame Southwest--I'd blame TSA.

Yes, CoC.

I suspect that, sometimes, someone has.

I see barefeet all time on the EVA codeshares to/from LAX in business

Notice the number of people walking around American cities wearing flip-flops?

Those are the same people walking around barefoot on airplanes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by whirledtraveler

I suspect that, sometimes, someone has.



Or that their condition would improve if someone did. :)

I am ALWAYS in my socks on an airplane. First thing I do after I sit down. First thing I do after touchdown. I often open a lav door, survey the floor, close the door, and wait for the other one.

I have never seen barefeet though. I'll start looking. What runs is this common on?

I was once told to put on my shoes...I was not walking around barefoot and wouldn't dream of it...but I was seated without shoes and the AA flight attendant told me to put them on as it was a safety issue. (And no there was no cheesy feet issue)....I felt like a naughty child..but then AA flight attendants are not (in my experience) particularly interested in their passengers' flight experience.

I always have slippers in my carryon that are easily accessible if I want to take my shoes off.

That's bizarre--I've heard pre-departure safety announcements in the past that specifically said women should remove their high-heel shoes in case of an evacuation. (Presumably because they would puncture the inflatable slides.) So I find it hard to believe that sitting or walking around shoeless onboard is a safety issue.

Ewww. Then you put your shoes back on?

Hello people. What's on the lav floor is also on the carpet throughout the plane.

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.

what if he/she is travelling biz or first and puts his/her dirty feet on the flat bed somebody else is gonna use on the following fllight?it's all about good manners

Its going to be the same thing as if someone puts their shoes on that same bed. If they are barefeet or shoes is really not relevant, the relevant point is if they are dirty or not.

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. You'd rather they put a foot with a shoe on the flat bed rather than bare feet?

just if they go barefoot to the toilets

I think AA actually encourage this when travelling international in J and F. They give you a pair of socks in the amenity kit.

I'm really surprised. I think there is a most definite safety issue for parts of the flight. If there is an emergency and people are scrambling towards exits I would want some form of protection on my fees. If you had to evacuate an aircraft in an emergency you could get a blister from the slide or step in glass or anything else just at the moment that you should be running from the aircraft. As for these socks - well they are supposed to keep your feet warm 0 and that is another reason why I always wear shoes when I am a passenger. Aircraft are frequently cold and I hate draughts around my feet.

I can never understand how people feel comfortable running round the house barefoot but each to their own. Still I do dislike people coming on board flights dressed as though they were bound for the beach. Someone mentionned shirtless - yes seen that. Swimsuits, bikinis, shorts that leave nothing to the imagination, T-shirts that cling so much that I can tell that they have got pierced nipples (how do they get through security?), and then there are the cute and witty messages on the front of the T shirt that make me wonder if the people actually speak english and realise what it means. I could provide examples but children might be reading this. If this was the BA Forum I would be happy to tell you a story about a lady who wore no shoes - but this is the AA Forum and it would not be appropriate.

Yes, been there and seen it all. They are tasteless but not a health issue to others unfortunately. Yes, people patter off to the bathroom with nothing on their feet, and then when they hurt themselves - or cut themselves guess which cabin crew member is a Nurse.

If they are adults and should know better, I have no compuction in using lots of very strong disinfectant and if it hurts - well they'll live. I give them a pillow to muffle their shrieks as in my space no one should hear you scream.

It's not a health issue for the person who is barefoot, but for other people. If you have some kind of infection or other disgusting ailment on your foot - nobody wants to see that or have your foot exposed.

Maybe nobody wants to see it, but I bet most people don't care one way or another. I sure as heck don't.

The big difference though is that (hopefully) people wash their hands throughout the day and should be cleaner and less smelly than someone popping out their smelly feet and cleaning out their toe jam

Anyone ever had someone CLIP their toenails onboard? Hopefully we can all agree THAT would be too much

For safety, I don't ever take off my shoes till we're airborne and I put them back on before landing so if we have to evac suddenly I have some protection.

[QUOTE=Flyer1965]The big difference though is that (hopefully) people wash their hands throughout the day and should be cleaner and less smelly than someone popping out their smelly feet and cleaning out their toe jam

[QUOTE]

I agree about cleaning ones feet on the plane. If they smell, though, they'll smell just as much with socks on...probably more. For this argument, barefoot would be at least as good as socks...probably better.


I do this as well. The issues about safety really only apply in these cases. Once you're at altitude, the reality is that it is very unlikely that there will be an evacuation or that slides will be used. At that point, it really doesn't matter whether ones shoes are on or off when the plane hits the ground.

Cheers.