In brief
As the US prepares for its busiest Thanksgiving travel season in over a decade, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is advocating for more civility in air travel through his campaign, 'The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.' While he urges passengers to dress better and be more considerate, critics argue that deeper systemic issues such as overcrowded flights and staff shortages need to be addressed first. Responses from the public have ranged from support for promoting respect to frustrations over airline conditions contributing to passenger behavior.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is urging air travellers to dress better and be more civil - and it's touching a nerve at a time when many Americans consider air travel more frustrating than ever.
Ahead of what's expected to be the busiest Thanksgiving travel season in 15 years, Duffy launched a campaign last week titled The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You, in which he harkened back to the 1950s and 60s to call for a return to civility and class in air travel.
But as air traffic controllers remain short-staffed and customers face frequent flight delays, both social media users and aviation experts say Duffy is missing the point.
A video ad for the Department of Transportation's campaign juxtaposes old footage of smiling airport staff and orderly passengers with modern social media videos of people starting fights on planes, putting their bare feet up on seats, and engaging in other disruptive behaviour.
Manners don't stop at the gate. Things aren't what they used to be, Duffy chimes in. Let's bring civility and manners back. Ask yourself, are you helping a pregnant woman put her bag in the overhead bin? Are you dressing with respect?
The Federal Aviation Administration predicts this week will be the busiest Thanksgiving travel season in 15 years - with more than 52,000 flights on November 25 alone. Aviation experts say Duffy's message won't have much effect on the flying atmosphere.
Scott Keyes, a flight expert and founder of the flight deals site Going.com, stated, While it sounds great to ask everyone to just be nicer to each other... you might as well ask a wall to start printing you money. He added that passengers who reach the point of agitation are unlikely to remember Duffy's call for civility.
Responses to Duffy's campaign on social media have been mixed, with many commenters pointing out that the current airline environment is incredibly stressful, with cramped seating and frequent delays contributing to tensions. Commenters have called for better treatment from airlines as a prerequisite for fostering civility among passengers.
While some have praised Duffy's message, asserting the importance of respect and kindness, many agree that the airlines also share responsibility for the deteriorating atmosphere in flight, fueled by a focus on cost-cutting and maximizing profit at the expense of passenger comfort.
