Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called on travelers to show more courtesy and dress more appropriately during what is expected to be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record — a stretch likely to strain everyone’s patience.
Building on the Transportation Department’s civility campaign launched last week, Duffy criticized disruptive passengers, including those who remove their shoes and prop their bare feet on seats, urging the public to be “mindful and respectful.”
“We’ve seen … a bit of a decline in civility in our airspace,” Duffy said during a Monday press conference. “You can’t legislate that. You can’t mandate it.”
“But I think you can’t expect improvement unless you ask for it.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that this year is on track to become the busiest Thanksgiving travel season yet.
As part of his broader push for improved civility, Duffy urged physically stronger travelers to lend a hand to fellow passengers struggling with heavy luggage, appealing to the public to follow their “better angels.”
“Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas through the airport,” he said. “If you’re someone who’s a bit stronger, someone who’s been lifting, and you see another passenger who needs help getting a bag into the overhead bin, step up and offer to do it.”
Duffy also reassured travelers that airports will be staffed adequately and prepared to keep the skies safe, despite recent air traffic controller shortages stemming from the government shutdown.
