Transportation Department urges "dressing with respect" on flights. Will it improve air travel?

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

November 21, 2025 / 1:15 PM EST


The U.S. Department of Transportation on Wednesday unveiled a campaign aimed at bringing more civility to air travel, urging Americans to dress "with respect" and remember simple courtesies like saying "please" and "thank you" to flight attendants. Travel experts say they're skeptical it will make much difference.

The new plan — called "The Golden Age of Travel Starts With You" — is meant to "jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel," the agency said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is rolling out the civility campaign in part as a response to what the agency called a record rise in unruly passenger incidents, including altercations with other travelers and airline staff. The issue isn't new, with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration data showing that incidents with unruly passengers peaked in 2021, although reports remain roughly double their pre-pandemic level.

The Transportation Department didn't define what it meant by "dressing with respect." In a Wednesday social media post, Duffy wrote, "Dress up to go to the airport, help a stranger out, and be in a good mood."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transportation-department-air-travel-civility-golden-age-sean-duffy/

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Link to Department of Transportation PRESS RELEASE - The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You: Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Unveils New Civility Campaign Ahead of Busy Holiday Travel Season

"Dress up to go to the airport,

Am guessing that Americans would be sent paper doll templates showing "acceptable dress".

[EarthFirst]

1. Let's begin with not all standing up simultaneously as soon as the flight arrives at the gate...

…then we can get to work on dress codes?

[maxsolomon]

13. that's nigh impossible for middle & window seats - unless you're

if aisle seats want to stand so as not get a blood clot in their legs that's fine w/ me.

[cab67]

69. I've been on flights that arrived late.

The flight attendants will make an announcement asking that passengers with very short layovers should be let off first so they don't miss their connections.

They might as well have said nothing. Almost everyone stands up. I've even heard some of the impacted passengers themselves ask to be let through, and no one does. Expecting large groups of people to act with courtesy and respect these days is a waste of time.

I've learned to select a seat as close to the front as possible, even it it requires an upgrade, if I've got a tight layover. My fellow passengers cannot be expected to cooperate.

[LearnedHand]

2. David Sedaris on dressing to fly

I should be used to the way Americans dress when traveling, yet it still manages to amaze me. It’s as if the person next to you had been washing shoe polish off a pig, then suddenly threw down his sponge saying, “Fuck this. I’m going to Los Angeles!

David Sedaris, Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

[intheflow]

3. Next the government will tell us to bring out the red capes and Quaker bonnets for the women.

And the men better be clean shaven and dressed as manly as possible.

WTF, the government cannot tell us how to dress. What a stupid time to be alive.

Edited to add:

Title of second link: The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You: Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Unveils New Civility Campaign Ahead of Busy Holiday Travel Season

Rules of civility coming from this administration? Fuck no!! Screw you, Duffy!

[BumRushDaShow]

7. They would carve out exceptions

for MAGat shirts and hats.

[FakeNoose]

30. Don't forget the faded jeans and high-top sneakers

It's the American uniform, and it's known around the world.

[BumRushDaShow]

34. Plus a flag AS a T-shirt

with the best desecration of it that they can manage!!!11!!1!!

[Farmer-Rick]

45. Rules of civility from an administration that

Tells women reporters quiet piggy? The king of pigs pedo Trump is the least civil person to be president. Now I'm going to dress even sloppier.

[Ms. Toad]

51. That would be ironic,

considering that Quakers have been in the forefront of many challenges to government overreach - including dress codes (see, e. g., Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District)

[taxi]

4. It's a two way street.

The 'haves' need to be respectful to those less affluent than themselves and dress accordingly. Doing little things like not trying to dazzle others with your Rolex and diamonds, your tailored clothes and leather shoes, would effectively be respectful to a much greater number of people. For those of us only able polish our sneakers seeing a little respect would be welcome.

[ificandream]

20. +1000

[Initech]

76. It's all about looking good for the fucking Fox News cameras.

That's all they care about.

[turbinetree]

5. Resign a**hole.............right along with the entire maga approved senate and US Supreme Court 6.............

and lock up the seditionist traitor that stood on a podium and said that he was going to march to overturn an election.................how's that for dressing with respect..........

[QueerDuck]

6. Things could be better. We don't have to dress like it's 1963... suits, hats, dresses and white gloves...

but if we could just be on-the-whole, more like European travelers (both air and train) then things would be much more pleasant. This is why I won't fly SW... it's like the Greyhound of the skies. The crowd in the terminals is not much better. Lots of loud and belligerent drunks and entitled Karens/Kens, along with unruly children who have never heard the word "NO!" in their short lives... that ruins it for everyone. When travel is necessary, I'll be in 1st or business... and the layovers will find me in the Admiral's Lounge. At this age, I just don't have the patience. There's only so-much side-eye that I can give to the parent of loud and boisterous children (and it doesn't work anyway) so I refuse to expose myself to it, and I'll avoid it whenever possible.

Thanks for listening. Now... put your seats and tray tables in the locked and upright position.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

23. Not as bad as my experience flying Allegiant...

... Phoenix Gateway to FSD Sioux Falls, a hick in the seat in front of me tried to "save" their free inflight can of Coke by hiding it under her seat. When the plane descended, it tipped over and gravity "blew it back" to totally spray my legs (I was wearing IZOD golf shorts, so...) and I reacted, exclaiming and quickly pulling my legs up onto the seat as if a rattlesnake was tossed at me. I looked right and two rows of passengers, strapped in and the plane landing, their faces had the open mouthed look of horror... surprised that one didn't give a fellow air traveller a heart attack.

I gladly paid a bit more to fly Frontier, United and Delta after that point when flying to and from DEN and wherever else.

[QueerDuck]

24. Ugh!

Glad you made it out to tell the story. Budget flying is hell.

[chouchou]

8. You know those contraptions that catch wild hogs in a circle wall?

The hogs run around haphazard...knocking into every other hog plus even trying to "Maybe" climb up and over the wire fence to escape?
Yeah...that's akin to flying the friendly skies

[msongs]

9. busy work to justify his paycheck nt

[twodogsbarking]

10. The boys in our school had to wear neckties. You had to wear it to school, not put it on in school or you go to hell.

No blue jeans but other colors of jeans were permitted. Now I wear blue jeans every day and don't own a necktie. There were much crazier rules. Amazing the similarity to OP.

[twodogsbarking]

11. Sounds like old white guy rules or Amish.

[Bok_Tukalo]

12. Give me four more inches of legroom in coach

And I promise to wear a tie and jacket.

[snot]

15. Ditto that!

You pretty much have wear yoga duds not to rip them as you contort yourself into any non-aisle seat.

[mwmisses4289]

14. Civility? Let's start with the...person...in the White House.

It's been a few years since i've flown, but the worst i saw on my flights were some teenagers wearing tank tops, shorts and sandals. The only crying child was a baby who was hungry.
However, I was on flights that left in the morning or evening, so it could be that the kids were sleepy (most of them did fall asleep on the flight).

[LetMyPeopleVote]

16. Duffy is an idiot

[KPN]

62. Best post!

[snot]

17. This from an admin led by the guy who's

done as much or more to destroy respectful discourse & behavior than anyone else I can think of.

[DavidDvorkin]

18. Oh, God, not this "Dress up like people on TV in the 1950s" shit again

Ugh. Fuck them.

[dflprincess]

29. I'll just like it's the 50s but only if

The airlines go back to service like the 50s.

[DavidDvorkin]

38. And the amount of seat space and leg room per passenger.

[delisen]

19. Duffy channels Melania

Be Best.

[ificandream]

21. I don't want to imagine what will come next from the 'Back to the '50s' administration.

[Harker]

22. "...and be in a good mood."

That might come easier were we not living in a dystopian nightmare.

[dalton99a]

25. .

[Ilsa]

55. Huh. Only white people flew in the 1950s.

I'm sure some of the Nodfather's buddies would love this kind of segregation.

[tetedur]

26. This from the guy who danced naked in front of window.

[bucolic_frolic]

27. Let me be sure I understand. Courtesy while they hang the Democrats, amiright?

Do they realize what a hypocritical joke this program is?

[Irish_Dem]

28. As the US gov't brutalizes people: kicking, beating, pepper spraying, jailing, killing.

Yet we are all supposed to be polite and civil at all times.

[tanyev]

31. Well, Sean, how about you promise me that I won't get trapped on the tarmac for hours,

or sleep on the airport floor for a couple nights, or have to sprint from one terminal to another in 20 minutes to catch my next flight, hmm?

I’m always publicly presentable, but my #1 priority is comfort.

[Freddie]

32. Just please bathe and use deodorant

Only requirements needed.

[Norrrm]

33. Safety and efficiency are too tough for Duffy so he finds a distraction.

[Attilatheblond]

83. Yeah, where's HIS respect for air traffic controllers who shoulder the stress of keeping thousands safe?

Let's start there and worry about fashion trends and his specific taste in what he wants to look at when flying!

edited for typo

[sheshe2]

35. Duffy wants to talk dress codes and respect while flying?

Let's start at the top with Air Force One and the 'Resident of the Un-United States.

He speaks to and the press gaggle in his shirt sleeves while hanging on to the doorjamb like the town drunk in fear of losing his balance. His mean boy insults to reporters are childish and unbecoming of a president. Quite. Quite, Piggy is what he screamed a female reporter with his finger in her face.

So, if Duffy wants to ban unruly customers that show no respect, then he should start at the top with mr, trump.

Hey, Sean, bite me.

[Warpy]

36. If they want us to dresss like it's the early 1950s, they'll have to treat us that way

with nicely apppointed seats with adequate head and leg room, especially the latter. Full meals will be served on china dishes with real flatware. Pillows and blankets will be supplied on long flights at no extra cost. Flight staff will be well trained and efficient.

Keep cramming us in like sardines to maximize profit and we're not likely to respond with dressing like we're going to church 70 years ago. You could, however, start offering nicotine gum and lozenges on the drinks cart for the Jonesing smokers. That would greatly improve civility, if not contribute to sartorial splendor in cramped and und uncmfortable conditions.

[spooky3]

46. Please don't give out gum of any type! Too many gum snappers and poppers are driving the rest of us nuts. nt

[Warpy]

57. Jets are LOUD

so you're not going to be that bothered by it. It beats having somebody try to sneak a butt in the lav and start a fire in midair.

[spooky3]

59. Au contraire. I've flown enough to know how annoying this is

If they are sitting anywhere nearby.

[Warpy]

74. Also, nicotine gum doesn't work like that

You soften it and stuff it into your cheek, otherwise the nicotine doesn't get into the system.

My mother's withering use of the word "vulgar" has kept me from chewing gum in public my whole life. I opt for mints, wintergreen if I can get 'em, they're less in yoyur face than peppermint.

[Raftergirl]

37. I'm flying on Dec. 10th and sitting in first class. I'm wearing joggers, sneaks, and a cosy sweatshirt, which is

what I wear to play tennis indoors in winter.

No way I’m ever going to dress up for a plane trip. I need to be warm and comfortable.

[paleotn]

39. Funny, I've seem to have been doing this for years. Dressing for plane crashes since the 80's...

Long pants, long sleeve shirt, natural fibers, good comfortable laced shoes with good traction. Want leg room? Two words. Exit row. Am I willing and able to open the exit door in an emergency? You can bet your ass I am.

[Jacson6]

40. In 1975 when I was ten I flew alone from DTW to LAX.

My mom dressed me real nice and everyone else on the plane did so , too. My ticket cost $1,500 one way. Those were the days.

[flashman13]

41. What really might help would be for airlines to quit treating their passengers like cattle.

Airplanes have become nothing more than flying buses. Actually most buses are more comfortable.

[Montauk6]

42. Given how cramped coach is these days, this might not be too comfortable

[fujiyamasan]

43. This is the kind of meaningless drivel we get from this guy

Funny (actually not so much) how this administration rolled back any consumer protections put in place by the Biden administration (regarding flight cancellations and compensation) and come up with shit like this.

This is Duffy’s ‘Be best’ moment.

[ananda]

44. How about restoring courtesy and class to the government?

I mean, what kind of example are they setting?

[kevinore]

47. I'll consider it

If Trump, his minions, and his cult followers lead the way by behaving politely and respectfully, I see no problem in following suit. I don't expect to buy any ties in the near future.

[lostnfound]

48. Should we all dress like ICE agents? Their attire...doesn't impress me. Nt

[struggle4progress]

49. A new etiquette guide from the team that brought you "Quiet, Piggy!"

[Jimbo S]

50. DB Cooper

Is that DB Cooper's face amongst the male cutouts?

[area51]

52. Do be sure, Sean Duffy,

& lecture us mere mortals on proper dress. And here's Sean in some "fine threads".

[Mawspam2]

53. Please dress as if you are going to a funeral-- Yours!

[Justice Brandeis]

54. Honestly, I would like to go back to the old social norm of formal or semi-formal wear on airplanes

Male and female.

[jls4561]

56. Sean, do tell us what you wore on an airplane THE LAST TIME YOU FLEW COACH.

[Hope22]

58. Wear the clothes you want to be in when sliding down an emergency ramp.

Where the clothes that will protect you from burning fuel on the runway. The old recommendations used to be cotton denim and non synthetic fabrics. Wear shoes that will give protection from burning fuel and help you move as quickly and safely as possible.

[mahina]

60. It's not easy to find ladies' white gloves and millinery anymore.

[SaydiTom]

61. so no QUIET, PIGGY?

[Aussie105]

63. And be on your best behavior!

Crammed in like pigs in economy means you need to dress for comfort.
Loose clothing, shoes that are easily kicked off for a starter.

Might help to get rid of inflight alcohol and serve decent meals to keep the crowd calm and happy?

[mnhtnbb]

64. I just arrived in London on an overnight flight

From Raleigh/Durham. Flew business class. There was a family of four with two little girls --about 10 and 5 or 6--I'd guess also in business class with the lay flat seats. The girls were dressed in pajamas. We ended up at the taxi line at the same time and the girls were still in pj's. Made me wonder what the parents were thinking. Were they even aware of Epstein?

[BumRushDaShow]

66. "Made me wonder what the parents were thinking."

If it was an "overnight flight", then it would have normally been the kids' bedtime, so they probably bundled them up in that and into their ride to the airport, and told them they could "sleep on the plane" (as a "fun" thing - especially given the flight time from the east coast to London plus a time change).

Back in 1970, my first plane flight was to London (overnight). I think it left at 8 pm ET, and would arrive about 5 hours later, which with the time zone change, would be around 6 am BST/UTC. It was actually during this month too when we would have normally been celebrating Thanksgiving but obviously the UK didn't do that, and was instead, getting ready for "Father Christmas".

(I still have my Christmas stocking from that trip that was bought at Selfridge's )

[mnhtnbb]

71. My point is that pj's on the flight may be

Fine for a prepubescent girl and her younger sister, but I question the parents ' sensitivity to the prurient nature of many males in society and exposing their daughters to looks from them while traveling through the airport from the plane to immigration to baggage claim and then outside to the taxi. The mom could have easily taken the girls into the ladies and at least put a hoodie on them or changed the pajama bottoms to jeans and put a hoodie or sweater on each of them.

[BumRushDaShow]

77. Over the years

I have seen any number of people going to the supermarket in bathrobes and bedroom slippers. It is what it is as "dress codes" had at one time become so severe, that the backlash was fierce, and the pendulum swung.

I think anyone who is/was a parent (and/or those who might not be one but who have taken care of children, either as family members or professionally) probably figured out what was going on. Traveling with children is not easy, and doing so on a long haul flight makes it even dicier.

It's not that I endorse it but this is where we are today.

[Snoopy 7]

65. Ok then

It's time for the Department of transportation to start dressing in their original garb. Bring back the George Washington style of dressing...

[mdbl]

67. I agree that everyone should be courteous and dress appropriately

but I think the bigger problem is how they stuff everyone in like sardines and charge all kinds of fees and overbooking so they cancel your seat while you're waiting to board.

[cab67]

68. Theaters have been making the same request for years.

Even on Broadway.

It's gone nowhere.

[Raftergirl]

72. I do dress up when going to the theatre. Most New Yorkers do, too. It's the tourists who don't dress up. It

is easy to tell who is a tourist in NYC and who are New Yorkers/metro area people.

[cab67]

80. I've only been as a tourist, but I've dressed respectfully.

My grandfather was a theater arts professor, so I learned early how to dress for the theater.

Dress type varies by community. I work in a college town, and people attend touring Broadway productions like the events they are. But I've seen similar shows elsewhere, and people dressed like they were going to a picnic.

[Raftergirl]

84. Or just came from the bus station. I know, a bit harsh. We have subscription series to national Broadway musical

touring shows now, so don’t go into the city to see Broadway productions very often. Maybe once every two years. At the theatre we go to (Albany NY area) most people are dressed appropriately. A few I do look at and wonder what in the world were they thinking!

[NH Ethylene]

70. It's hard to imagine this will help but you never know.

If NYC was able to reduce crime via massive clean up and the
'broken windows' theory, this could be possible as well.

[NowsTheTime]

73. Follow the new "Fetterman Standard"..

[Initech]

75. Fuck their stupid golden age bullshit!

Golden ages aren't forced. I'd like to tell them where they can shove their precious "golden age". WTF.

[cbabe]

78. Duffy: I can't guarantee your safety

https://m.

&pp=0gcJCR4Bo7VqN5tD

[DBoon]

79. It is considered rude and disrespectful to be late for an appointment or to not show up at all

When airlines have consistent on-time departures without unannounced cancellations, I will start to think about dressing more "respectful"

Like wearing a silk tie with my hoodie.

[onenote]

81. I guess I don't have to worry about Steve Bannon sitting next to me.

[Sneederbunk]

82. It's 2025. Being a slob is an inalienable right.