Should you have to dress up for your flight? I don't think so
Updated . First published
While boarding a recent flight, I noticed a fellow traveller was wearing pyjamas and slippers - despite it being midday, and only a two-hour journey.
I was instantly jealous... why was I stuck sitting uncomfortably in my jeans when I could have been luxuriating in my jammies?
But it turns out, in some airports, her attire wouldn't just attract raised eyebrows. It could get her in trouble.
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When travelling, some opt for style, and some opt for comfort. Getty
One airport in the US has made headlines this week for claiming they wanted to become the "world's first Crocs-free AND pyjama-free airport".
"We've seen enough. We've had enough," read a post on social media from Tampa International Airport. "The madness stops now."
They went on to call out people who choose to wear pyjamas or Crocs (or... god forbid... both) in an airport, preferring their patrons to be dressed a little more smartly.
Though I do think certain things shouldn't be worn in an airport (like bikinis or bare feet), I reckon there's no issue with PJs.
And, really, where do you draw the line between pyjama bottoms and trackies? Will this evolve to the point where we all have to wear business casual to catch a flight?
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Where do you draw the line between PJs and comfy pants? Getty
Tampa Airport later told USA Today the post was made in jest, and was simply a "playful nod to day-of-travel fashion debates."
However, it has still kicked off an online discussion about what is acceptable clothing to wear in an airport.
One Reddit passenger joked that "flying on US airlines has become such a s***ty experience that pyjamas & crocs are an appropriate response in order to inject some comfort into what has become an awful customer experience."
Another pointed out that it makes sense passengers would want to wear belt-less pants and shoes that are easy to remove when travelling through security.
Are PJs in public a faux pas? Getty
Last year, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he thinks if people dress up a little for the airport, there'd be fewer instances of unruly passengers.
"I can't mandate you dress up, but don't wear pyjamas and slippers to the airport," he said. "I want people to be well behaved and I think a little better dressed would help with that."
He added that he wants to see a "return to civility" when it comes to air travel.
Airlines can refuse boarding to passengers who aren't dressed appropriately. WestJet
While airlines don't enforce dress codes, airlines can refuse boarding or remove passengers from planes based on what they're wearing.
In 2024, a Kiwi woman flying in the US was asked to get off a flight or cover up, after cabin crew spotted her wearing a shirt with no bra underneath.
A similar instance in the same year saw two women wearing crop tops removed from a flight after refusing to cover up with jumpers when asked by cabin crew.
