With the government shutdown finally behind us and the Thanksgiving travel rush hitting full throttle, airports across the country are bracing for what could be some of the busiest days in TSA history. Into this holiday storm steps US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has a seasonal request for the nation: dress a little better, act a lot nicer, and maybe stop pretending the airport is your living room.
Speaking at Newark Airport last week, Duffy said he has noticed a “degradation in civility” in air travel and has launched a new national campaign titled “The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.” The effort encourages passengers to show respect, wear actual clothing, and treat fellow travelers like human beings rather than obstacles in a boarding group.
Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport. I think that is positive.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
“You know, whether it is a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little bit better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better,” he said. “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport. I think that is positive.”
Is It Such a Bad Idea?
Predictably, critics mocked the idea. But while Duffy’s comments have inspired plenty of jokes, there is a reasonable point buried beneath the noise. His suggestions are not inherently bad ideas. American air travel has been plagued by viral gate-side meltdowns, unruly passenger videos, endless kerfuffles, and the ever-present scourge known as gate lice. Flight crews are exhausted, travelers are tense, and everyone seems convinced their carry-on and their comfort matter more than anyone else’s. Maybe a little decency would go a long way.
FAA data underscores Duffy’s concern. The agency reports a 400 percent rise in in-flight incidents since 2019. Other FAA findings include:
- 13,800 unruly passenger incidents since 2021, including a 500 percent spike from 2020 to 2021 during the height of the Covid pandemic
- One in five flight attendants reported being victims of a physical altercation in 2021
- Unruly incidents in 2024 doubled compared to 2019
- A rare bit of good news: A drop to 2,000 total incidents in 2023, well below the pandemic peak
A recent FAA press release backing the civility push says that “we can all do our part to bring back civility, manners, and common sense. When we can unite around shared values, we can feel more connected as a country.”
We can all do our part to bring back civility, manners, and common sense.
FAA
To that end, Sean Duffy is encouraging travelers to ask themselves simple questions before stepping onto an airplane. Among them:
- Are you helping a pregnant woman or an elderly traveler with their bag?
- Are you dressing with respect?
- Are you keeping control of your children?
- Are you thanking your flight attendants?
- Are you saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ at all?
Honestly, this list sounds like the house rules for my son’s elementary school classroom. But I suppose this is where we are as a society.
Common Sense Rules the Day
Sean Duffy has been clear that he is not demanding a return to three-piece suits or top hats. He is simply calling for a baseline of courtesy in an environment that is increasingly tense. He also offered a few examples of modern misbehavior that fall well short of outright violence but still test the limits of public patience. Things like shoes coming off the moment the seatbelt sign goes dark. Feet on armrests. Movies and music played out loud. People tapping the seatback entertainment screens with their bare toes. The minor inconveniences that add up to a much bigger cultural headache.
In an interview with The Blaze on Tuesday, 25 November, Duffy said the decline in civility has many causes. Long lines frustrate travelers well before boarding begins. Airline seats continue to shrink even as…ahem…derrières grow. A 2022 study found that fewer than half of the public can reasonably fit into seats at their current width. And during the pandemic, flight attendants were thrust into the role of mask enforcers, which led to tense and sometimes aggressive confrontations.
Sean Duffy Wants Healthier Snacks, Too
It was during this same Blaze interview that Duffy raised a separate request for airlines: healthier snacks. He said the familiar offerings of pretzels and cookies might be overdue for an upgrade.
“I would love some better snacks. I would love a little healthier snack on the airplane,” he said. He added that it would be far better “if I didn’t get the really fattening cookie full of butter, sugar, and crap. Or that little snack pack of pretzels.”
His snack comments drew their own share of headlines, though this too is an idea that is not exactly controversial. Healthier food in flight cabins is hardly a radical concept, even if it has been overshadowed by bigger debates about behavior.
The Campaign for Civility Comes Amid a Flurry of Air Travel Initiatives
This civility campaign arrives on top of an already full agenda. Duffy is overseeing efforts to modernize the air traffic control system, hire thousands of new controllers, and make travel more family-friendly. He is also heading the new Beautifying Transportation Infrastructure Council (BTIC), created to restore architectural beauty to highways, bridges, and transit hubs.
“What happened to our country’s proud tradition of building great, big, beautiful things?” Duffy asked when he unveiled BTIC. “It is time the design for America’s latest infrastructure projects reflects our nation’s strength, pride, and promise.”
The Department of Transportation accepted nominations from architects, landscape designers, urban planners, artists, transportation engineers, and historic preservation advocates interested in joining the council.
As for the flying public, the timing of Duffy’s plea is worth noting. The TSA expects to screen more than 17.8 million travelers between 25 November and 2 December, with as many as 3 million passengers passing through checkpoints on Sunday, 30 November alone. A typical week sees about 2.48 million per day.
In a season defined by long lines, juggling families, competing priorities, and an entire nation trying to get somewhere at once, Duffy’s request does not seem unreasonable. Keep your shoes on. Keep your headphones in. Keep your temper in check.
Or, as the Secretary put it, “Let’s all be better when we travel together.”
And at this point, who can argue with that?
