{"id":16226,"date":"2025-11-26T04:33:58","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T04:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnews.topnewsource.com\/?p=16226"},"modified":"2025-11-26T04:35:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T04:35:21","slug":"transportation-secretary-launches-civility-campaign-urges-travelers-to-ditch-airport-pajamas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cnews.topnewsource.com\/?p=16226","title":{"rendered":"Transportation Secretary Launches ‘Civility Campaign,’ Urges Travelers to Ditch Airport Pajamas"},"content":{"rendered":"

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is pushing back against what he terms a “degradation in civility” among air travelers, launching a “civility campaign” just ahead of the busy holiday travel season. Speaking at Newark Airport in New Jersey on Monday, Duffy had a pointed message for the flying public: Stop wearing pajamas on planes and start showing some respect.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Duffy called on Americans to encourage courtesy and patience, urging travelers to “say please and thank you to our pilots and to our flight attendants.” He also encouraged passengers to dress “with some respect.” “You know, whether it’s 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,” Duffy commented. “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport. I think that’s positive.”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The Secretary also appealed to common courtesy, asking passengers to help others struggling to place bags in overhead bins. “Bringing civility back, I think, enhances the travel experience for everyone,” Duffy previously told FOX Business.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The initiative comes as the industry grapples with a steep rise in in-flight disturbances. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, there has been a 400% surge in disruptive behavior and violence since 2019. Reports of unruly passengers in 2024 remain above pre-pandemic levels, and nearly one in five flight attendants reported experiencing a physical incident in 2021, FOX Business previously reported.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The debate over airport attire, experts say, extends beyond mere fashion and touches on courtesy. Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas in San Antonio, emphasizes that pajamas should be reserved for private spaces. “From an etiquette perspective, one’s pajamas should be reserved for the privacy of one’s own home or hotel room, where people are relaxing \u2014 and not in a public space,” she told Fox News Digital. She noted that it is entirely possible to choose clothing that is “both comfortable, practical and appropriate for public spaces.”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Some may attribute the rise in casual travel wear to celebrity culture, where stars like Ed Sheeran and Rihanna have been photographed treating airport terminals as extensions of their living rooms in loungewear or silk sleepwear.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

However, the way people dress has a psychological impact on behavior. Jacqueline Whitmore, a former flight attendant and founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach, told Fox News Digital that attire affects actions. “The way we dress influences how we feel, how we behave and even how others respond to us,” she explained. Whitmore cited the concept of enclothed cognition, the idea that clothing shapes how we see ourselves. “When we take the time to dress with intention, we naturally carry ourselves with more confidence and self-respect.”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

While attire doesn’t define character, Whitmore stated that in her experience, “people who make the effort to present themselves well often demonstrate the same level of care in their behavior.” She stressed that being intentional about appearance often correlates with being intentional about manners. Whitmore agreed that pajamas and slippers “should stay in the bedroom,” though she conceded that “flip-flops and shorts are better than PJs.” The issue, she concluded, “has nothing to do with social status and everything to do with the respect we show for ourselves and others.” Children, Whitmore noted, are generally afforded “a little more grace,” particularly on overnight flights.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n