Attention Passengers: For Comfort And Safety, Here Are Some Tips About What To Wear While Flying
Traveling through the air comes with a massive set of rules and regulations, and you don't want to make it any more complicated than it already is. Outside of the mandated policies put into place by TSA and airports, there are unwritten practices that should help you as well. For example, you're going to have a tougher time going to the bathroom if you're wearing a romper or onesie, and if you're wearing sandals at the airport, you probably haven't thought about all of those germs... yuck. As you continue reading, you'll uncover many "don't wear" items when it comes to flying. You'll thank us later.
A Brand New Outfit Isn't The Best Bet
As tempting as it might be, the last thing you want to do is sport a brand new outfit you plan to wear out on the plane. If you purchased the new clothing specifically for the flight, that's a different story.
What you don't want to wear on the flight is an outfit that you bought to look your best while on your trip. Keep the fresh threads packed and save them for after you arrive.
Really, You're Wearing Heels?
This should be a no-brainer, but we'll include it. You don't want to run late for your flight with a pair of high heels on, or you might end up rolling an ankle sprinting to your boarding gate.
Wear your favorite comfortable sneakers, and if you must look sharp stepping off the plane at your destination, keep the heels in your carry-on bag. That way, you'll be able to take off your shoes and slip into the fancy option.
Be Careful Of Shorts!
If you're on your way to a hotter climate, it might sound like a bright idea to put on some shorts for your journey. Sure, they're comfortable, but you have to remember the climate in the airport and mid-flight.
Planes become cold, and the person next to you might turn their air vent on full blast, making you colder. Your best bet would be to throw on some warmer clothes while you fly the friendly skies.
Uncomfortable Fabrics Aren't Fun
While wool tops might be stylish, they aren't the best to wear while traveling via airplane. That goes for any uncomfortable fabric that might cause you to itch or feel out of place.
You don't have much room in your seat (unless you went for first-class), so why would you want to make it less enjoyable? A regular cotton sweater will get the job done, so you can save the fashionable attire for after you land.
You Can Do Without The Pajamas
Wearing your pajamas to the airport and on your flight might sound like a great idea for you, but what about the passengers? You're bound to get a handful of stares walking down the aisle wearing your PJs.
Your best bet will be athletic attire if you want to retain some comfort. Since athleisure attire is a pretty big trend at the moment, you can't wrong sporting that style for your air travels. You might even get a few compliments on your outfit.
Save The Tight Clothes For Later
Even if your flight is only one hour, it'd be best not to put on tight clothes. Much like with uncomfortable fabric, tight clothes in close-knit spaces isn't the best idea.
Did you know that your feet naturally swell while flying? That's one reason to ditch the tight boots you thought you'd wear. Also, the longer the flight, the more irritable you could become, and you don't want that crying baby or loud passenger to ruin your mood.
Are You Thinking About Traveling In Flip Flops?
We understand that flips flops provide an extra level of comfort for your feet, which would make them a great option while flying, but being aware of others would be more considerate. Do you think everyone likes the sight of feet?
Also, who knows if your feet won't start to smell unexpectedly. Wearing flip flops sounds good on paper, but once you do it, you're bound to receive some type of flagging energy from others around you. Not to mention all of the germs around the airport and plane.
Watch Out For Those Pesky Metal Sweaters
Wearing those ugly sweaters around the holidays is an annual tradition for many. They have all kinds of designs, but the type you need to be careful of is the metal kind.
The sparkles or bell might seem harmless, but if they're made of metal, you're going to end up setting off the detector. Do you want to take off your whole top before going through the machine? Probably not.
Reconsider The Leggings Depending On The Airline You Fly With
Leggings are one of the most in-demand fashion options. Men, women, and kids all like to sport the comfortable style no matter where they're headed. If you're flying with United Airlines, we think you might want to reconsider.
Not long ago, the airline kicked two girls off for wearing leggings. Their rules to general customers allow them to refuse traveling "for passengers who are barefoot or not properly clothed." We're telling you to read guidelines before you hop on a flight.
Too Much Baggy Clothing Stirs Suspicion
Yes, it's a smart idea to wear loose clothing that is comfortable while traveling but don't overdo it. A loose-fitting top won't bring much attention your way, but if your whole outfit looks like a clown suit, then prepare for some suspicion.
You don't want TSA to have another reason to pull you aside for a check, potentially putting you at risk of missing your flight! Figure out the best balance of not too baggy and you'll be fine.
Don't Do The One Piece...
Having a difficult time using the restroom isn't fun when you're attempting to get to your flight or even if you're already on the plane. It's especially rough when you're in the air, and the bathrooms don't give you much room to operate.
Take the smart route and wear pants that can easily slide down. Who wants to take off the majority of their outfit when they have to relieve themselves? It's even more inconvenient in a public bathroom.
Save Your Nice Jewels For Later
We know you probably look fabulous in that new watch, or necklace you own. The thing is, you're about to be in the air for an extended period of time, so you don't need to sport all your nicest jewelry.
Not only will you have an easier time getting through security, but you'll also have a better chance to keep things safe. Unless you wish to have added attention and a difficult time getting through metal detectors, keep your favorite jewels locked and packed away, or better yet, at home!
Is The Provocative Clothing Necessary?
Out of all the clothes you have in the closet, the last thing you should want to wear on a flight is something provocative. If you're on the way to the club or something of that sort, then feel free, but when you have kids and spouses walking around, play it safe.
A parent doesn't want their son or daughter forced to see extra skin while flying. If you're one of those people who do it because you're confident, your confidence can wait some travel time before showing it off again.
Offensive Clothing Is Also A No
Imagine you're at the airport and you're a strong advocate of feminism. You're minding your business, but out of nowhere, you see a male walking by with a shirt that doesn't sit well with you.
If you see someone wearing a shirt as you see in the image here, that might ruffle your feathers a bit. That's why it's best for people to keep the social commentary off of their bodies at the airport because you have a higher chance of causing issues.
Keep The Smells Light
If you're sitting on a long flight, one of the last things you want is a strong alcohol fragrance entering your nostrils the whole way. That's what happens when someone decides to spray too much cologne or perfume on their body.
One or two sprays is all you should apply when you're about to fly on a plane. Carrying around a strong scent isn't appealing to those around you, even if it's their favorite smell!
Consider Putting On Your Glasses
If you wear contacts and glasses, your best bet will be the glasses while traveling through the air. You might also want to consider leaving your contact kit at home as well, so it's less of a hassle.
Since airplanes can get pretty dry, the humidity won't be kind to your eyes while wearing contacts. Its easier to take off and put on your bifocals as well, so it's overall a better decision in the long run.
Save The Larger Handbags For Later
If it completes your outfit, then you might have a hard time denying this one, but hear us out, please. A larger than average handbag that isn't a duffel doesn't need to be on your person while flying.
For one, you're taking up space. You need all the room you can get in the tight seating. Secondly, you won't be susceptible to folks trying to steal. The bigger your bag, the easier it is for theft.
If You Don't Layer, Watchout
While traveling, you'll want to have an option of adjusting layers for different temperatures. Whether you're going from a cold climate to a warm one, or you're in for a heavy day of moving around, your clothing choices can help out a lot.
If you layer up, you can decide to take something off it gets too hot or if you're on the run when you get to your destination. Conversely, if it's cold, you're already in luck!
Skip The Religious Attire
This one is more about being sensitive to others and less about your personal and religious views. You can feel free to praise whoever you wish, but try to keep it on your terms, like when you're at church.
Walking through the airport then boarding the plane with attire focused on religion can be offensive to some. You never know who might disagree with what you believe in and how it could affect them. Also, if you're traveling to some Asian countries, they won't let you in if you have a shirt or tattoo of a Buddha.
Is The Oversized Coat Needed?
Okay, unless you're headed to Alaska in the winter or any other place that's unbelievably cold, you don't need to wear an oversized coat on the plane. It lessens your mobility and the space you have.
You don't want to impair your movement or give yourself any less room to move around. If it means packing an extra bag to fit your large jacket, you might have to do it or sacrifice the freedom we mentioned.
They Keep Their Hands Behind Their Backs For A Reason
Flight attendants might seem to have a glamorous job but there is more to the job than you might think. Yes, they get to travel for free and see every corner of the world but they also have to undergo difficult training and deal with some seriously horrible passengers. Here are their secrets.
Have you ever noticed that flight attendants always seem to greet passengers with their hands clasped behind their backs? Turns out that there's a good reason airline employees do this. Hiding their hands makes it easier to conduct a head count as people enter the plane – they’re keeping count on their fingers! If you saw them counting on their fingers in front of you, you probably wouldn’t think too highly of them. The trust between the attendant and passenger must never be broken.
There's A Secret Compartment For Their Naps
When it comes to long-haul flights, you might get to take several snoozes but what about the flight crew? They constantly have to be around to tend to passenger needs and are always on their feet, but that seems like a lot for a flight that's over ten hours.
Don't worry, flight attendants get to take their breaks too. Big planes like Boeing 777 or 787 jets have secret sleeping cabins built in for staff. These windowless sleeping quarters are built above or below the galley, so that's probably where your favorite flight attendant is if you've noticed you haven't seen them for a while.
Do NOT Go Barefoot
Everyone understands how uncomfortable it is to be stuck on a plane for more than two hours. A lot of times you'll see that passenger who takes their shoes off, and they'll even walk around the cabin without putting them back on!
It may seem like they're just making themselves comfortable, but it's actually pretty disgusting. Flight attendants know just how filthy the floor of the plane really is. Plenty of accidents occur in-flight. While those accidents do get cleaned up, it's still not as sanitary as you'd hope, especially in between flights. Plus, cleaning supplies are limited on airplanes.
Yes, Flight Crews Do Get Involved With Each Other
You wouldn't be wrong to assume that flight crews get involved with each other in more ways than one. Relationships between crew members are apparently quite common, which makes sense since they spend so much time with each other in such an enclosed space.
While flight attendants can fraternize with one another, their main priority is, of course, to remain professional at all times. Just like any job, you wouldn't want to air your dirty laundry in front of customers.
They're Using Their Cell Phones The Entire Time
Flight attendants get a perk all flyers wish they had. Besides getting paid to travel places, they get the Holy Grail of flying: free Wi-Fi and usage of their cellphones. They are often using their phones during the entire flight unbeknownst to the casual flyer.
They may not make the most money in the world, but they do get to travel the globe and get paid for it. Depending on how you look at it, that might not be the worst payoff in the world.
They Have The Power To Restrain You
You better behave yourself the next time you fly. If you get too unruly, then your flight attendant has the authority to arrest you (or at the very least, restrain you). You may have seen people removed from a flight before take off, but what happens when things come to light mid-flight?
If a flight attendant really needs to, they have the power to restrain overly aggressive or trouble causing passengers. They usually have zip ties available or they could use the seatbelt extensions as restraints. The passenger would then be placed in an area where they can't be disruptive and would be escorted off at the first stop.
They Communicate With A Secret Code
The flight crew uses subtle codes to communicate with each other about the goings on in the plane without letting the passengers know. There might be things they need to tell each other to look out for, but they don't want to freak out the passengers.
Those bells and chimes you often hear during a flight aren't for no reason. For example, those "dings" you hear at the beginning and end of a flight? That's to signal to the crew that the most dangerous stages of the flight are over since takeoff and landing are the most precarious parts of flying.
They're Sizing You Up As You Board
t's always reassuring to see your flight attendants greeting you as you enter the aircraft. Sure it's excellent customer service but they actually have an ulterior motive for doing so.
As the passengers enter the plane, the flight attendants quickly make important assessments. They look over each and every passenger and make mental notes of who might be problematic or intoxicated, who is traveling alone, or for those passengers who might be in need of extra assistance such as when they're handicapped or traveling with children. They are also seeing who's strong and who might be useful in an emergency.
It Doesn't Actually Pay Very Well
Flight attendants have to go to work the minute they arrive on the plane. That means doing safety checks before a flight and then greeting and assisting passengers during the boarding process. But for all they do before the plane takes off, they're not even getting paid.
Flight attendants only get paid for the hours that the engine starts and the plane pulls away from the gate. Anytime before that, they aren't getting paid — or they're at least not getting paid their full rate. Hours spent away from home but not in the air are compensated with a rate as low as $1.50 an hour.
Order Diet Coke If You Want To Be Annoying
If you don't want to annoy your flight attendant during beverage service, then don't order a Diet Coke. Flight attendants hate when a passenger requests Diet Coke and for very good reason.
Diet Coke is noticeably fizzier than other carbonated drinks. And at over 30,000 feet in the air, those bubbles take forever to settle. Flight attendants have to pay extra attention not to let it overflow, but that just means that it takes about three times longer to pour than the other available beverages. Flights are so dehydrating anyway so it's probably best if you just ask for water.
There's A Reason They Turn Off The Lights
As the plane prepares for takeoff or for its descent, the lights in the cabin will get shut off. This is never really explained and there's not much to think of it since the lights get turned back on just a few minutes later.
But there's actually a good reason for this. Takeoff and landing are the most problematic stages of a flight. The lights get turned off so that everyone's eyes can adjust to the light in the event of an emergency. This can help people orient themselves with the space easily if they needed to take action.
Definitely Do Not Accept A Coffee
Many flight attendants wouldn't suggest drinking the coffee or tea served on flights. While the potable water is filtered and not necessarily the same water that flows through the lavatories, you still might want to pass on these hot beverages that are made in flight.
The tanks that the potable water is kept in apparently don't get cleaned as often as you'd think. And sometimes, the valve for the lavatory water is located precariously close to the valve for the clean water. So next time, you might just want to stick to the bottled and canned drinks.
The Food Is Questionable, Too
Speaking of things you should steer away from, you might also want to think twice about airline food. Meals served on longer flights usually look pretty balanced, but the nutritional content of those meals is shocking.
In-flight meals are loaded up with salt, sugar, fat, and simple carbs that make you feel full but actually have no nutritional value. If you're stuck on a long-haul flight with nothing else to eat, those meals are your saving grace. But you might want to remember to bring your own food on board next time.
This Job Is Not For Everyone
Flight attendants may have a jet-setting life with the ability to visit new places, but it's not all fun and games. On the ground, many people see flight attendants as having a glamorous job, but in the air that changes as their jobs are minimized to that of a waitress.
A flight attendant job is a demanding one. You're constantly jet-lagged, sometimes having to work on flights back to back. You'll often get 4 A.M. wakeup calls and be scheduled to work on holidays, not to mention being kept apart from your family for long periods of time.
You Might Want To Think Twice About First Class
It's probably not all that worth it to sit in first class. Studies have shown that in the event of a plane crash, those who are sitting towards the front of the plane are more likely to die.
The safest seats are those within a few rows of the emergency exit and the aisle seats. Studies have shown that passengers in the rear of the plane have the highest survival rates compared to those in first class. In any case, no matter where you sit, it's always smart to fasten your seat belt.
The Oxygen Masks Have A Time Limit
The oxygen masks on a plane will deploy when the cabin pressure falls below a certain point, but more often than not, that point never comes. In the event that it does, however, how long would it allow you to breathe?
There are around 12 to 15 minutes of oxygen in those masks. It doesn't seem like a lot of time, but it is. If you ever find yourself in a situation that warrants the use of these masks, just try to relax and breathe. The pilot is working to get the plane to a safe altitude where you will be able to breathe without them.
Flight Attendants Have To Look The Part
You might think that flight attendants have to uphold certain visual standards to hold on to their jobs. Although the requirements of looking a certain way and being a certain age are antiquated and long gone, there are still some things flight attendants have to keep in mind.
Flight attendants do have to have a natural hair color and it has to be pulled back if it is long. The biggest thing the airlines look for these days is height. You can't be too tall that your head will constantly be bumping into the overhead bins, but you can't be so short that you can't perform your duties comfortably.
It's Not Easy To Land This Job
Harvard had a higher acceptance rate than Delta airlines did for their job openings in 2010. If you're trying to become a flight attendant, the competition can get pretty intense.
In 2010, Delta announced 1,000 openings and received over 100,000 applications. Only four percent of those applications got a callback interview. Flight attendants have quite a demanding job, for very little starting pay (at least $18,000 per year). But if you have excellent customer service skills and think you can handle it, by all means, go for it! It definitely helps if you are bilingual.
Your Extra Bags Won't Cause The Plane To Crash
Every passenger is entitled to at least one stowed bag during their flight. But this means they'll have to pay some hefty fees for any additional baggage. While planes are designed to only accommodate one bag per passenger, the truth is your extra bags will hardly affect anything.
Planes do have to have the right center of gravity for takeoff. Depending on how many checked bags do get stowed on the plane, most airlines have practiced using sandbags to even out the weight. Still, that doesn't necessarily explain why airlines charge you for extra bags, but we don't make the rules.
How You Can Possibly Score An Upgrade
While you should treat any human with the respect that they deserve in any situation, it pays to be exceptionally nice to your flight attendant. Many flight attendants say that they love customers who respond with a smile and a "thank you," and you'd be surprised to know how often that doesn't happen.
If you are pretty nice to your flight attendant, you may even be able to score an upgraded seat if there were any available. It will also help if you have a legitimate reason to be upgraded, such as being too tall, pregnant, or are a frequent flyer.
