Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on the ‘I’ve Had It’ podcast with hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan and the full episode is now available. On social media, they teased the interview with a clip of the Vice President sharing her thoughts on an air travel hot topic: Passengers taking their socks and shoes off on airplanes. RELATED: Larry David Sounds Off About Reclining Seats on Airplanes
Here’s a clip from the interview:
Jennifer Welch: “Had it or hit it? People taking their shoes off on airplanes?”
Kamala Harris: Oh, God. Had it. Completely. It’s terrible. And then, if they take their shoes off, and then cross their legs, so that their foot is just dangling right in front of you, it’s just … and especially if they’re sockless!
Angie Sullivan: The sockless people in an airport – it’s unbelievable.
Jennifer Welch: Yeah, you might have the FAA look into that.
Kamala Harris: We’ll look into that.
Jennifer Welch: These are the issues that can bring out some niche voters.
Kamala Harris: We need a Department of Grievances. We have a lot of federal agencies but not that one yet.
Watch the video here:
I took Memaw on a field trip to DC. It’s important to maximize the time she has left. https://t.co/gz2lA7iePi
— MizzWelch (@MizzWelch) April 8, 2024
Joking that the government needs to create a Department of Grievances to handle the matter, Harris touches on one of the many divisive air travel topics that can get people all riled up. Others include: Is it ok to recline your seat? Who gets the middle seat arm rest?
I have a few thoughts on all of this. First of all, I’ve seen passengers take their shoes off on every flight I’ve taken and some are indeed barefoot and crossing their legs, thus invading your space. The culprits, in my experience, are mostly men, which is even worse since their dogs are almost always barking.
What’s even worse and makes me cringe is when I see passengers go into the lavatory barefoot, like the photo below of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.:
Imagine using an airplane bathroom barefoot.
byu/Right_Treat691 inPoliticalMemes
Walking into a dirty airplane bathroom shoeless or worse sockless, feels like something everyone should know not to do but in case you’re not sure: According to AFAR Magazine: “By walking barefoot or even in socks around the cabin, you are putting your own health at risk,” says Hailey Way, a flight attendant with charter-airline company iAero Airways. “The lavatory floors are probably the worst place to be barefoot. There’s likely a mixture of water, urine, and other bodily fluids in there. You can never be sure.”
I can maybe see doing it on some Middle Eastern and Asian carriers in premium cabins because at least they are cleaned often and usually between passengers in First Class. But you won’t see anyone do it because they have slippers or socks for those passengers.
But to do it on a US carrier where, after an hour, the bathrooms are just disgusting, is a big no-no. I actually did it once when I first started flying but an old girlfriend who was a flight attendant quickly schooled me about how dirty the airplane lavatory is and I never did it again. Although, after that first flight, I was able to figure it out for myself.
The topic of removing shoes and socks on a plane was included in Kayak’s ‘Unspoken Rules of Air Travel’, research that they say uncovers how Americans truly feel about travel etiquette.
According to their data: “76% say you’re NOT allowed to take your socks off.” They also found that “56% of North Americans agree your shoes should stay on during a flight. But the fact that this was SO close (56% vs 44%) is a bit disturbing.” You can read the full results here.
Listen, we all know that taking your socks and shoes off is far more comfortable but … an airplane isn’t your living room. What are your thoughts? Shoes and socks on or off?
KEEP READING
• How to Save Money With a Secret Third Carry-On
• How to Use Your Wireless Headphones to Watch In-Flight Movies
• 10 Airport Security Hacks Every Traveler Should Know
• How to Get the Best Coach Seat on the Plane
• The Sleep Hack Every Traveler Needs to Know
• Never Get Your Valuables Stolen on the Beach
Want more travel news, tips and deals? Sign up to Johnny Jet’s free newsletter and check out these popular posts: The Travel Gadget Flight Attendants Never Leave Home Without and 12 Ways to Save Money on Baggage Fees. Follow Johnny Jet on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for all of my travel posts.
