A passenger on board United’s flight 939 from London Heathrow to San Francisco made “sure to touch everything with her bare feet” on Monday, according to a reader. Dan P shared photos of his seat opponent – propping her feet up on the seat’s television, standing up on seat cushion, and nestling in comfortably foot-to-seat – all sans socks.
Lady next to me in Polaris really making sure to touch everything with her bare feet. It’s the reason I make sure to wipe down everything in these pods, even the footwells.
Wish they’d just have a rule that says no bare feet can touch anything and just do it in the name of “health and safety”.
United’s Polaris business class offers passengers slippers. The amenity kit also comes with socks. So even if you are taking off your shoes, you feet don’t have to raw dog the flight.
United Airlines offers a remote control for the entertainment screen. It’s also a touch screen – but you’re supposed to touch the screen using your hand. We all know this woman didn’t do this — too lazy to get up closer to the screen while relaxing, yet presumably also unable to figure out how to use a TV remote at home.
Boorish passenger behavior isn’t limited to coach. Those flying business class clearly don’t have more class because they’re able to access a premium cabin. And anyone alive after 1982 should know the simple maxim: “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Dice”.
Unlike in United’s lounges, there’s no actual rule against this – though there should be. Would you do this at the home of an acquaintance? Why would you do it in public?
Bare feet on a plane is such an awful thing to do to the rest of the passengers in the cabin that a passenger with smelly feet once drove another so nuts that he got stabbed on arrival in the parking lot.
A United Airlines flight attendant reportedly once offered a passenger a $1000 voucher to take their feet off the tray table. I’m confident this was a bluff, that the airline wouldn’t have made good. But they were trying to creatively solve the problem.
So what? There’s nothing that makes feet different than hands.
Well, except no one has likely wiped their posterior with their feet.
If you’re this worried about the world, carry some wet wipes with you.
Gary – among all your other quirks you definitely have a foot fetish. If they aren’t touching you don’t worry about it. Letting yourself get worked up over others’ actions which don’t directly impact you is crazy. Just go with the flow – you can’t control other peoples’ actions so quit trying (and stop the shamming of people for things you don’t agree with)
Those beefy paws and thick ankles are, no doubt, attached to an entitled and boorish woman. It’s bad form and just gross. She should be banned.
Retired Gambler – While I am not as grossed-out as others about someone using their some-what clean toe to change the channel, what if they decided to wipe their boogers on the screen. According to your comment above, we should all: “Just go with the flow – you can’t control other peoples’ actions”
Nah, shaming people is what keeps polite society in line. I’ve never signed-off on this whole, “we cannot shame” thing.
Come on you guys… would YOU want to use the touch screen after someone has had their feet all over it?
I don’t know about you guys but my hands are way cleaner than my feet. I wash my hands regularly. there is a HUGE difference between using your feet for stuff and your hands. Sheesh.
Besides, who wants to see / glimpse / look at those anyway?
Nothing but a good YUK and GROSS in a loud voice will get her attention.
The older I get, the less I like humans.
I once saw someone put their ungloved hands on the touch screen. So gross. high risk for fecal contamination.
Right it’s not the end of the world. But it’s not asking too much for people to exercise a little decency in public either. Same with people and bare feet on tables in the lounge. Money can buy you nicer things but as this shows, it doesn’t buy you class.
At least we know the diligent cleaning crew, post the disease, will give the cabin surfaces a throrough cleaning and disinfection before the next flight.
as an MD, watching how people wash their hands in public bathrooms (if they wash them at all), I see no difference. If anything feet are cleaner than most people’s hands. Carry santizing wipes with you regardless.
It’s not only United. Last year on a flight to Frankfurt from JFK, I witnessed the same thing in Delta One.
The airlines claim they want the Clubs etc to be an upscale experience. When you can get in, the way people are dressed is a clear indication they have no personal pride.
For hygiene issues alone, no shirt, no shoes no service should apply. Not to mention safety.
I work on a drill rig. Fly to rig by helicopter, just like the flight out there is a dress code in the galley. Many would be missing flights and meals.
This is not surprising. Public transportation unfortunately embraces the public, some of whom are truly disgusting.
Although this isn’t as bad as listening to music out loud on a phone, something which is much more prevalent.
I’ve never seen this. I’ve never seen it in airline advertising, neither in the Golden Age of Travel nor now in current days. I’ve never seen it in flight crew or gate agents, nor in passengers. I don’t know why this naked foot on screens and controls designed to be used by hands does not cause a person to be banned by the airline and put on the no-fly list by the TSA. I”m not that uptight: should Virgin Airlines decide to add to their transvestite crew advertising with crew using bare feet like this passenger, their decision to evolve may persuade me to evolve my position….
Right on !!!
It’s the age where everyone is a million miler,
everyone and all their kids has access to all lounges,
where everyone is entitled to everything …
Yuck. One more thing I’ll now need to clean with the antiseptic wipe.
Nothing surprises me in travel anymore.
No personal responsibility, no accountability, and full on narcissistic.
Shame on these self-centered people and airlines who should be intervening.
If it was her screen, her furniture, her home then have at it. But it is not. Feet belong on the floor. She has the manners of a barn animal.
It was my understanding that you can not board an aircraft in bare feet (at least with American), so why are bare feet allowed once a person has boarded the plane.
Perhaps a beneficial solution for all Airlines and for all passengers is to have a simple printed list of do’s and don’t handed to everyone when are boarding the plane. Perhaps added to the boarding pass, and/or on the cell phone screen where the boarding pass is displayed.
Unless the airlines begin to establish and publish some behavioral norms, there will be more and more rude behavior exhibited by those who are evidently ignorant or uncaring regarding societal expectations for public behavior.
How about the fact that in the third picture there is another set of feet( looks to be a child) between this person’s legs. Where was the flight crew not noticing another person in the seat for a part of the flight?
Why not add an extra sentence to the flight attendant’s departure announcement? ”
As a reminder, smoking is not permitted in any area of the aircraft, including the lavatories. Tampering with, disabling, or destroying a lavatory smoke detector is prohibited.
[NEW] To help prevent passenger transmission of fungal infections like athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) or jock itch (tinea cruris), known as ringworm of the groin, affecting the skin in the genital, pubic, perineal, and perianal areas, please do not operate your seat back entertainment system with your bare feet, tongue, or butt. On behalf of the Captain and your entire crew, it is our pleasure to have you aboard. Enjoy your flight.”
I flew for 40 years and only had to tell a passenger to put their shoe back on.
She went to the lavatory bare footed, and that put me over the edge.
While disgusting and tasteless I’d sadly dispute the shocking part. I commented to my wife on a flight a couple days ago that you see the very best and very worst behavior while traveling. I stand by that assertion.
I’m only to see “shocking” in the headline. Little about bad passenger behavior is shocking in today’s world
Boorish behavior can be also found in the premium cabins and the lounges, including exclusive first class lounges. I’ve seen people in first/business that one would foretake as an unfortunate homeless person.
Row 1 of a DL 175 flight out of BOS Monday had “wife” barefoot and “husband” shoes-on using the bulkhead as footrest. Both disgust me.
Another disgusting slob who lives that way on an off a plane
If only she could just stay at home in the trailer park where she belongs
three words: classless white trash
Did she have arms? If not, then I get it.
And that’s why I wipe everything I’m going to touch with Clorox wipes the minute I get onboard. I bet this guy went to the bathroom in his bare feet too.)
………… so what ………..
Retired Gambler . . . I don’t wish to gamble on where those bare feet have been. Are you aware that feces and vomit is treated as Biohazardous material on airplanes? These materials can include microorganisms, viruses, plants, animals, or their byproducts. If handled incorrectly, biohazards can make people sick or even cause death. Part of the reason pets are not allowed on airplanes (doesn’t mean they are not onboard, but not allowed) and Service Dogs are not to occupy a seat.
Richard Daneel, that’s a big “so what” in my opinion.
@M Youunderstand the racist characteristics of your three words?
Very likely an entitled fat, ugly, middle aged Karen who’s really uneducated with no scruples whatsoever. Bringing my wipes next time. Nasty a$$ people in this world today we live in.