The saying goes “you can’t buy class,” and that’s true for the 13,800 unruly airline passengers who have been reported by the Federal Aviation Administration since 2021.
The Trump administration wants to bring “civility” back to air travel through their “The Golden Age Of Travel Starts With You” campaign. One way they offer pertains to passenger attire.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wants travelers to ask themselves: are you dressing with respect?
“People dress up like they’re going to bed when they fly,” Duffy said. “We want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season, help people out, be in a good mood, dress up.”
In the campaign video released by the U.S. Department of Transportation, passengers are shown from previous decades flying in business suits and dresses, before showing the modern day jet setter in pajamas, sweatpants, and in some cases even bare feet. The passengers from the past showed courtesy, while the present-day passengers were seen fighting with each other on the plane.
“Things aren’t what they used to be,” Duffy said. “Let’s bring civility and manners back.”
Duffy has a checklist of questions he said will help put friendliness back in the skies.
1. “Are you helping a pregnant woman put her bag in the overhead bin?”
2. “Are you dressing with respect?”
3. “Are you keeping control of your children?”
4. “Are you saying ‘thank you’ to your flight attendants and pilots?”
5. “Are you saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in general?”
To put it simply, Duffy said “manners don’t stop at the gate.”
But research shows “class” is only being used as a seating designation instead of a character trait.
In-flight outbursts have seen a 400% increase since 2019, according to the FAA. These can range from disrupting the peace to violence.
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In 2021 alone, the FAA reported 5,973 unruly passengers. The return to the skies post-COVID saw the most chaos with six times the amount of unruly passengers in 2021 versus 2020. In 2024, the amount of uncontrollable passengers was double what was reported in 2019.
“The campaign is intended to jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel,” the DOT announcement said. “This won’t just make the travel experience better for the flying public – it will ensure the safety of passengers, gate workers, flight attendants, and pilots.”
Duffy is eager to improve the flying experience during its busiest time of the year. AAA projected 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday this year from November 25 to December 1.
“Let’s be merry this holiday season as we fly!” Duffy said. “Dress up to go to the airport, help a stranger out, and be in a good mood. We can bring civility back, it’s as easy as that!”
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