The Controversial Passenger Behavior That Several Airlines Are Putting An End To

If you've ever spent much time on a plane, you've probably noticed some fellow passengers getting a little too comfortable once they've settled into their seat — especially when it comes to taking off their shoes. From businessmen kicking off loafers to holiday travelers sliding out of sandals, many flyers know that — in order to get truly in the zone of being on a plane — the shoes must always come off. That is, until now.

Unfortunately for the more free-toe inclined passengers, the days of simply removing your footwear and giving the entire cabin a glimpse of your feet might be coming to an end. In response to the growing trend, major U.S. airlines — including big names like American Airlines, Delta, and United — have all recently updated their passenger rules to directly address barefoot travelers. Specifically, these new policies are giving airlines and their crews the right to deny boarding or remove passengers who choose to walk around without proper (or no) footwear.

The reason for these new regulations? Basic cleanliness, hygiene, and safety. In most cases, the airline's cabin and cleaning crews have a very limited time to disembark the passengers, clean the plane, restock supplies, and board new travelers. This ultimately means that most airplanes don't get thoroughly cleaned in between uses; which, in turn, means that the aircraft's carpets, seats, and other high-touch surfaces can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and unwanted substances. As such, walking around the plane without shoes on puts you at risk for problems like contracting foot infections, fungal conditions, and even risking an injury — all of which becomes even more likely (and dangerous) during unexpected events like turbulence and potential accidents.

Overall, the decision to ban bare feet on flights seems like a pretty logical move. When you walk barefoot on airplane floors (or, worse, airplane bathroom floors), you're inadvertently exposing yourself, and others, to a long list of health risks. Even wearing "just socks" — although definitely better than taking a gamble with bare sole to floor contact — doesn't provide enough protection from these potential hazards. Throw in the fact that, in the unlikely scenario you might have to evacuate, having proper footwear could mean the difference between safely exiting and seriously injuring yourself, and it's more than enough to dissuade you from ever wanting to take your shoes off during a flight again.

So, what can you do to still travel comfortably during long flights — especially considering the fact that feet tend to swell from cabin pressure and prolonged sitting? Well, one option is to ... still take your shoes off. Careful, though: That doesn't mean just flinging them into oblivion. Make sure to keep your socks on at all times, and to have a pair of slip-on shoes or slippers handy for any trips to the bathroom or walks around the cabin.

Along with that, it's important to keep in mind basic airplane etiquette rules, regardless of whether or not you're wearing shoes. That said, make sure to keep your feet in your own space — not propped up on armrests or squeezed into the gap between seats — and definitely don't do things like air out your socks or try and give yourself a mid-flight pedicure. Airplanes are a shared space, and you don't want to be the next passenger to end up going viral on TikTok for poor travel manners.