Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he wants to improve holiday travel, and people can help by dressing up and being courteous.
Duffy spoke to Fox Business on Wednesday about the importance of good behavior.
“Donald Trump talks about the golden age of transportation, the golden age of America. But the golden age in transportation truly begins with you, the traveler,” Duffy said.
“If you just watch social media, you have brawls at the baggage claim, you have passengers berating gate agents,” Duffy said. “We have unruly passengers on airplanes. People dress up like they’re going to bed when they fly.”
Duffy added that some people are “having a hard time” fitting heavy luggage into the overhead bins. Checked bag fees start at $35 for most major US airlines, which motivates some travelers to maximize their carry-on capacity.
“And so we want to push people, as we come into a really busy travel season: Help people out, be in a good mood, dress up, bring civility back to travel,” he said.
Airlines’ clothing policies vary. Earlier this year, Spirit Airlines updated its rules for travelers’ clothing, saying passengers could be barred from boarding if they are “inadequately clothed,” including if they are barefoot.
The US is hurtling toward a peak travel season as people rush to get home for Thanksgiving. After the government shutdown, airlines have been cleared to ramp flights up to their pre-shutdown frequency.
Duffy’s comments also come at a time when in-flight incidents are reaching a new high.
According to November 19 statistics from the DOT, the FAA has seen a 400% increase in “in-flight outbursts” since 2019, which the department defines as “ranging from disruptive behavior to outright violence.”
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