UA crew announcement:"Please please please, don't take your shoes off" before takeoff
#31
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Bloomfield, MI, USA
Programs: DL Gold
Posts: 701
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,615
The safety video is already a joke, it's just a strange thing for the pilot to single out shoes during an evacuation. The flight ended up getting canceled but if we did have an incident and had to activate, I wonder how many people would be holding things up getting their shoes on.
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,906
This is just too statistically unlikely of a situation for me to worry about.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Programs: United, American, Delta, Hyatt, Hilton, Hertz, Marriott
Posts: 15,059
This is just too statistically unlikely of a situation for me to worry about.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
#36
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,260
I would be very happy if the pilot made such an Announcement on my flight. The pilot is correct about lack of shoes causing a problem if there is a need to evacuate, similar to leaving your personal belongings behind in an evacuation.
Now statiststatistically the best chance of surviving an incident with a plane is on landing as little fuel and reduced speed. Less likely on takeoff as speed and fuel and in the air well I would like a parachute rather than a life vest.
Now if the pilot would make an announcement that taking off your shoes on a flight can adversely impact your neighbors that would have been most helpful on my SFO-LAX flight last week as the stench when the woman in the window seat took off her shoes made my stomach turn.
Now statiststatistically the best chance of surviving an incident with a plane is on landing as little fuel and reduced speed. Less likely on takeoff as speed and fuel and in the air well I would like a parachute rather than a life vest.
Now if the pilot would make an announcement that taking off your shoes on a flight can adversely impact your neighbors that would have been most helpful on my SFO-LAX flight last week as the stench when the woman in the window seat took off her shoes made my stomach turn.
#37
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA Platinum, DL Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 30
I only take off my shoes if its a very long flight (over 6 hours) and I will be sleeping. I personally don't understand the aversion to footwear some have. And - PLEASE - wear socks.
#38
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,326
United abandoned any semblance of real safety videos years ago. Now they just show poorly produced TikTok videos with credit card ads.
We're in full agreement on all points.
Without a citation, I suspect that's exactly what it is - a story.
Without a citation, I suspect that's exactly what it is - a story.
#39
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
Programs: UA-G MM, Priority Club Platinum, Avis First, Hertz 5*, Red Lion
Posts: 2,808
This is just too statistically unlikely of a situation for me to worry about.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
#40
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,390
This is just too statistically unlikely of a situation for me to worry about.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
You don't (or at least I don't) wear my shoes in the house normally. Putting them on at night and sleeping in them would be needless extra work. If I have to evacuate my house, I have to go out of the door or window and onto the street. You're right, if a 747 hits my house and I have to evacuate, shoes might help - but even in that case, I'm not impacting anyone else, only myself and my family.
We see idiots all the time holding up evacuations to get their luggage, phones, whatnot. Why add footwear to the list when there just isn't any need to?
#41
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Orange County, CA, USA
Programs: AA (Life Plat), Marriott (Life Titanium) and every other US program
Posts: 6,415
This is just too statistically unlikely of a situation for me to worry about.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
It makes no sense to happily take a car to the airport and then worry about what might happen if you are not wearing your shoes during takeoff.
Do you wear shoes while you sleep at night? What if your house catches fire and you have to evacuate? I'm going to outright guess that even if you fly VERY frequently, you are much more likely to experience a house or hotel fire than an airplane evacuation.
#42
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Silver. (Former UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat)
Posts: 8,442
I'd suggest waiting four or five minutes, or so, after takeoff. If an emergency happens after that you'll have time to put the shoes back on.
#43
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: TX
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 770
I always keep my shoes on during takeoff and landing. Learned this right here in FT, from this thread where a FTer reported his experience with a UA 777 evac onto a wintery CDG runway.
UA 915 (CDG-IAD) on 2/4/2008 - 777 Evacuation Via Slides
I also keep my passport and wallet in my pants pocket during takeoff/landing.
Also, literally just minutes ago learned that someone I know took a ride down the slides on United flight 1658 in DEN yesterday.
UA 915 (CDG-IAD) on 2/4/2008 - 777 Evacuation Via Slides
I also keep my passport and wallet in my pants pocket during takeoff/landing.
Also, literally just minutes ago learned that someone I know took a ride down the slides on United flight 1658 in DEN yesterday.
Never have heard it announced though. Thats out of the ordinary but not a bad idea.
#45
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,326
In a lie-flat seat, I always test the recline to fully flat (I have had broken seats before), and that's difficult at best with shoes on because of the tiny footwells. I can also probably put my shoes on at least as fast as I can unbuckle a seatbelt.