A United Airlines passenger arrived in the country and somehow lost his shoes at customs. He decided to leave his shoes behind, rather than looking for them, because he was afraid of missing his onward connection. He had two domestic flights to take, including a stop at Chicago O’Hare, and he made the entire journey just in his socks.
So my shoes disappeared at Newark Airport customs. I had to stay and find my shoes or run to my plane. I chose the latter and have had 3 flights across the country in only socks today. I asked several United Airlines employees for help but nada. pic.twitter.com/iwv23qIhPO
— ChelcieSPorter.Art (@laartistagitana) December 15, 2024
United’s Contract of Carriage actually forbids flying without shoes. And I’d point out that going barefoot is against the rules, and there’s no distinction here for merely having to board with shoes.
UA shall have the right to refuse transport on a permanent or temporary basis or shall have the right to remove from the aircraft at any point, any Passenger for the following reasons:..Passengers who are barefoot, not properly clothed, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene or offensive
Going barefoot on the aircraft even temporarily is verboten and can lead to refused transport. You don’t want to get up to go into the lav barefoot anyway, that isn’t water splashed on the ground in there.
This is common language. American’s Contract of Carriage says that passengers with “bare feet or offensive clothing aren’t allowed.”
And there are often shoe stores in the airport! I once managed to wear non-matching colored shoes to Washington’s National airport for my first leg of a trip to Asia. I realized this as I entered security. I turned back around and stopped into the Johnston & Murphy store immediately behind the checkpoint and picked up shoes that actually got me complimented by a flight attendant on that first flight.
Now, do you stop by the shoe store or run to the gate? I guess if there’s genuinely no time then you run to the gate. But people show up at the airport too early, and go to the gate too early. That’s why many airports have instituted ordering food at the gate. People go to their gate and stay tethered to their gate. They want to make sure the gate exists? They think their flight is going to board early? They’re somehow afraid of missing a flight even though it operates on a schedule.
And outside of the need for overhead bin space, to avoid having to gate check a bag, you don’t need to be on board when boarding begins. You just need to be on board before boarding ends. In general that means being ready to board more than 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure for domestic flights, not being at the gate 40 minutes prior. That extra cushion can be used to buy shoes!
Not understanding this at all. Was the person barefoot? Seems like they were wearing socks- which is pretty clearly compliant with the contract of carriage.
Bread and circuses!
Was this a challenge to see how many readers ignored the word “socks”?
I d rather wear my socks than a random pair of shoes. Who knows what kind of germs are with the shoes.
Barefoot ≠ without shoes
If socks are worn one is not barefoot.
And why do you assume he could buy shoes in an airport? Most don’t sell them at all and even if they sizes are going to be limited.
As for losing them–probably due to agricultural inspection. They were taken for cleaning and something went wrong and they were hard to locate.
Josh and Controller1 are correct. Rule 21.H.5 of United Airlines’ Contract of Carriage states that “Passengers who are barefoot, not properly clothed, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or offensive” may be denied boarding. However, the American Dictionary defines “barefoot” as “not wearing any shoes or socks.” Based on this definition, the young lady was not in violation of the rules.
Legal scholars specializing in the subject of bare feet agree that wearing open-toe sandals is not considered being “barefoot.” However, there is no broad consensus regarding flip-flops on a plane due to their potential safety risks during an evacuation.
If any law students are reading this, I encourage them to consider submitting a Law Review article on this fascinating topic. It would involve an interplay of law, linguistics, safety protocols, historical norms of attire, and podiatry.
OK, I got a bit carried away… But here it is: The skies are friendly, the meals are questionable, and the footwear policies? Well, they’re ripe for debate. In this thoroughly researched (and lightly tongue-in-cheek) article, we delve into the legal, cultural, and theological implications of being barefoot on an airplane, with a special focus on passengers who board in sandals, shed them mid-flight, and cover their feet with blankets in private business-class beds. Spoiler: even the Bible gets involved.
The Legal Framework
Airlines’ Contracts of Carriage are a labyrinth of rules, many of which seem to have been written during a turbulence-filled brainstorming session. Rule 21.H.5 of United Airlines, for example, specifies that “Passengers who are barefoot, not properly clothed, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or offensive” may be denied boarding. While the rationale—hygiene, cultural norms, and safety—is sound, the term “barefoot” is as legally defined as “fresh” on a bag of airplane peanuts.
Dictionaries generally agree that “barefoot” means “not wearing any shoes or socks,” but what about passengers who board in open-toe sandals and remove them mid-flight? Are they “footloose” rebels or merely weary travelers seeking comfort? The ambiguity leaves cabin crews scratching their heads—presumably with their shoes still on.
Cultural and Biblical Dimensions
Throughout history, feet have held a surprising cultural and theological significance. In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomed three divine visitors by offering water to wash their feet—a gesture of profound hospitality. And let’s not forget John 13:1-17, where Jesus himself washed the feet of his disciples, setting a gold (or perhaps sandal-leather) standard for service.
By this logic, shouldn’t airlines—particularly in business class—not only permit barefoot passengers but actively encourage them? After all, these travelers are distinguished guests who’ve paid handsomely for their lie-flat beds and champagne. Perhaps flight attendants could take a cue from biblical hospitality and offer complimentary foot-washing services. (Think of the loyalty points!)
The Podiatric Perspective
Podiatrists, the unsung heroes of healthy feet, argue that going barefoot—especially while seated or sleeping—can promote better circulation and reduce the risk of conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT). On long-haul flights, removing shoes allows feet to breathe and swell naturally, which is far healthier than cramming them into restrictive footwear for 12 hours.
Moreover, covering bare feet with a blanket provides warmth and minimizes contact with less-than-sterile surfaces. In other words, your barefoot neighbor in 3A might actually be practicing self-care—and doing so responsibly. Perhaps airlines should provide slippers not as a concession but as an incentive for passengers to kick off their shoes.
Safety Implications (or Why Flip-Flops Might Be Riskier Than Snakes on a Plane)
Safety experts raise concerns about bare feet during emergency evacuations. Exposed toes are vulnerable to injury from debris, hot surfaces, or the occasional misplaced laptop. While premium cabin passengers might argue that their enclosed spaces mitigate these risks, safety protocols remain one-size-fits-all—like those inflatable life vests.
Interestingly, the real footwear villain might be flip-flops. These flimsy sandals, though technically compliant, could hinder passengers during an evacuation. Legal scholars could debate whether airlines should revise their policies to address not just bare feet but poorly chosen footwear.
Conclusion: A Call to Action (and Maybe a Pedicure)
The issue of barefoot travel on airplanes invites a rich tapestry of legal, cultural, and podiatric considerations. Airlines should:
Revise Contracts of Carriage to clarify the definition of “barefoot.”
Embrace cultural and theological perspectives that celebrate the sanctity of feet.
Collaborate with podiatrists to educate passengers about the health benefits of removing shoes during flights.
Finally, let’s consider a future where business-class passengers are welcomed not just with champagne but with a warm towel for their weary soles. After all, the journey should be as comfortable as the destination—especially when it’s 35,000 feet in the air.
If a passenger travels on a United Airlines aircraft without shoes and is wearing a red-striped sweater that matches his socks like the photo, he might resemble Waldo from the “Where’s Waldo?” series. However, if you are in the UK, he might be mistaken for Wally from “Where’s Wally?”
Uhoh! I travel in Birkenstocks! I’m only in half-compliance with the rules!
I have been through customs many times and never had my shoes removed and taken. That part of the story sounds fishy. I would rather think it happened at TSA security check where removing shoes is mandatory. If TSA delays the people scanning, the items on the scanning conveyor belt may be sent to lost and found. I had that happen to me at LAX. I have also had them lose my boarding pass. If the flight overseas had been an Asian airline, there would be a good chance that there would have been complimentary thin flight slippers. Those should usable if the shoes are taken by TSA (Theft Society of America).
Considering that airlines give out slippers in business and first, it would be hard for them to say that flip flops are a problem. Slippers and flip flops both keep your feet from touching the dirty floor, especially in the location that you’d be going to if you get out of your seat and need to put slippers on. Neither protects your feet in any other way, nor do they protect others from you.
Being barefoot and wearing socks are two different modes. I’ve seen more than once passengers shedding their flipflops and being barefoot while on board and have also witnessed and photographed a passenger boarding sans any footwear (flip flops, socks or sandals or combat boots!). Footware attire is not uniformly enforced across the different airlines. If you have on a pair of nice wooly, artic-style socks, I’d rather have you as a seat companion than someone with 50 cent flip flops.
@jns: Not understanding something doesn’t make it a lie. If you answer the “Have you been near livestock?” question in the affirmative they may yank your shoes to inspect / disinfect them.
Christopher Raehl, I characterized nothing as a lie, just said that the story was fishy as in misstated. At the border, three things are checked: immigration documents, customs documents and an agricultural inspection. Each is distinct although they can be done by the same agent if there are no red flags during the initial phase. If there are red flags, you get routed to the full inspection agents. If your immigration documents are not in order, you get held. My wife and I picked up a Thai Buddhist monk at LAX one time and paid his $400 dollar fine for not filling out his visa paperwork correctly. Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country (Wikipedia). If you are carrying items in excess of your free allowance, you have to visit customs agents to pay as required. In the USA, agricultural inspection, if needed, is done separately from customs. I have gone through the more thorough inspection multiple times before. I suppose I could answer yes about livestock due to walking past chickens in a cage awaiting their fate in an Asian city market but I always answer no since I do not bring the same footwear back to the USA and all of the clothes I bring back are laundered before coming back. The questions are somewhat dumb because I could get the same diseases on my shoes from walking down a city street. I think the original statement was misstated (misstatements seem to be common in online posts and in society in general) and that the place where the shoes were lost was at the TSA check, not customs. You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to my opinion.
Gary,
How can you justify your crusade against bare feet while continuing to criticize the TSA war on water? Both are equally subjective and arbitrary.
Gary, consider that in most of your articles your comments are usually full of decisive “this guy is clearly a selfish MAGA supporting jerk who only cares about himself” while the other half would be “obviously some libtard who doesn’t care about showing some class”
Today, for seemingly the first time, your comment section has united to say
1) You clearly don’t understand what barefoot means.
2) This topic is hardly worth a whole article written about it. I know that engagements are key and here I am so numbers are going to and it’s all about those sweet sweet ad dollars.
At least when you’re complaining about Unions the discourse is interesting, even if I disagree with you. This is such a nothingburger of a story. I’m sad for you that this is where you’re at in your writing because I know this isn’t your passion as much as it isn’t mine to read it.
I don’t understand the passengers’s Tweet: I asked several United Airlines employees for help but nada.
What did she expect from them?
were there no shoe stores at the airports? what about slippers from the international flight?
As a TWA pilot I once had a man board my plane, Ft Lauderdale to LaGuardia, wearing only a Speedo and flip-flops nothing else. I asked the number one flight attendant if that was legal, she stated ” if the gate agent allowed him to board it must be legal. It was February and snowing in New York!
I work on airliners. You don’t want to remove your shoes on an airplane. Trust me.
This was a really poorly written article. What was the point, clearly not entertainment nor information.
A “thought leader in travel”, you must be joking.
I’m not a frequent flyer. As my job does not require travel my fights are only for vacation trips.
Knowing that I need to remove shoes at the TSA checkpoint I simply have flip-flops in my carry-on, & they usually remain there for the trip. I go barefoot in my day-to-day life, & I’ve flown barefoot many times. Most people either don’t notice or don’t care.
On a separate issue – prior to the flight I shower thoroughly, I put on fresh clean clothes & I take it easy on perfume/cologne.
I laughed at the absurdity. Pilots tell you to not be barefoot because the floor is dirty, but how many people cough or sneeze into their hands and don’t wash them or use hand sanitizer? How many people go to the bathroom and either don’t wash their hands or do it in a poor manner such as using water with no soap? If I choose to fly barefoot and I keep my feet on the ground how does that affect you? It shouldn’t unless you allow it to (Eleanor Roosevelt said that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent).