How do you pass the time on your flight? Reading? Watching a movie? Perhaps airing out your stinky shoe using the overhead vent?
Passenger Shaming, one of my favorite Instagram accounts, brings us another installment of passengers malfeasance.
An American Airlines passenger was filmed lifting up his gym shoe to the individual air nozzle in the passenger service unit above his seat and trying to vent his shoes…
View this post on Instagram
Seriously?
You can tell this is relatively recent because of the Anna movie (2019) displayed on one of the seatback monitors. You briefly see a moving map on another screen, though I cannot make out the flight path.
Wherever it was, whenever it was, this behavior is simply disgusting. I’ve been on flights before where people (men) take their shoes off…when they shouldn’t have. In fact, I’d rank foot odor right up their with lavatory fumes, body odor (I guess that is sort of body odor), perfume, and the all-time worst offense: pot.
> Read More: Sky High: My Stoned, Stinky Seatmate
CONCLUSION
A couple weeks ago it was the man who decided to relieve himself in an airport terminal in front of gawking passengers. This week it is a slob who forgets he is on an airplane full of passengers and lifts his stinky shoes to the air vent.
In cases like this, if you see something, say something. Borat needs to learn some manners…
> Read More: Man Urinates In Airport Gate Area As Shocked Passengers Stare In Disbelief
Why disgusting?
Besides the aesthetics what is wrong?
Ok. If it’s stinky i get it. But taking off shoes happens more often than not.
Many people fart in long haul flights. I personally think all people should be put into temporary medically induced coma for the length of the flight. I think airlines could be able to pack many more people. 3 bonus high throughout the cabin.
You pay extra if you don’t want to be medically induced coma( first class)
Because they risk aerosolizing microbes. Fungi spread through spores; shoes – especially wet ones – are more likely than other apparel to have fungi.
See also the coronaviros outbreak – there are concerns that coronaviruses in general are spread by aerosolized fluids from butchering in the open (and in close proximity to people, live animals, or food).
So… don’t blow air on stuff that could harbor microbes, especially if those are may be alive/active, especially in close proximity to others, especially in an enclosed space.
George is correct. I take my shoes off too. But lifting up a wet shoe into the air vent? So rude. So unsanitary.
I am not sure and i would like to see a scientific study. We are not republicans. We are literate and believe in science.
Here are some things to keep in perspective:
1) your phone screen probably has particles of feces on it. Your toothbrush as well unless you keep it hidden and far away from the toilet.
2) if you shake people’s hands you probably have other people’s feces on your hand. Then people touch the door knobs, tray tables, gas pumps and that has an accumulation of everyone’s germs
3) also unless you only dated and married just one girl who in turn only dated you, you have encountered germs from a lot of other people.
I always find it hilarious, people talking about hygiene and going to bars to pick people up. I think they again just mean aesthetically. You are likely exposed to same germs whether she smells nice or not.
And these are all empirical findings. I am not making it up.
In any case i am still not convinced this is any more than aesthetics. But you are exposed to many more germs in everyday life anyway.
Bigot? ” I always find it hilarious, people talking about hygiene and going to bars to pick people up. I think they again just mean aesthetically. You are likely exposed to same germs whether she smells nice or not. ”
Why “she”? When a person (man, woman, or X) goes to a bar, they may not be looking for a “she”. A man may be looking for an X. A woman may be looking for a she, though.
Debit? I prefer credit. ha ha
Derek,
I am sorry to hurt your feelings and i stand corrected. You may pick anyone or anything. My shorthand was not meant to be dismissive of your choices.
You don’t need to “prove” anything, and you don’t need a scientific study to make a science-based recommendation or regulation. There are already scientific studies that show the spread of fungal spores from air currents, and we can safely assume that the same would happen here. If we did a study for every proposed regulation, we’d never get anywhere. So we rely on analogous or “basic science” studies to inform public health policy. Asking for a study to specifically show whether or not blowing out shoes using the vents on an airplane is asinine; claiming that without such a study, no conclusion can be reached, and people shouldn’t be enraged, says more about you than about the science.
The surfaces you mentioned are generally smooth, non-porous, and often exposed. The area available for growth is much lower, and most stuff that could be blown off by the air vent would’ve been blown (or wiped) off already.
You also know when you’ve touched something. You may not know that someone’s blowing out their shoes 3 rows behind you.
One last point: There are immunocompromised people who take great care to clean themselves and everything around them. Though they often avoid it for their own safety, sometimes, they HAVE to fly. Blowing microbes around them, potentially without their knowledge, is wildly irresponsible.
Typo: that should say “whether or not blowing out shoes using the vents on an airplane IS DANGEROUS”
The coronavirus has spread because China absolutely refuses to do anything about the unspeakable trade in wildlife for ‘human’ ( in many cases scum of the earth humans) consumption , in close proximinity to what might be called ‘normal’ food. These scumbags are slaughtering hedgehogs, otters, bats and other such creatures, based on either/both of two things: some Neanderthal belief that consumption of them has health benefits and it’s expensive, consequently a luxury item on which to flaunt wealth.
We saw exactly the same with SARS; they’ve learnt NOTHING.
Feel sorry for the thousands of innocents or dead as a direct consequence of this vile and repulsive trade. But the blame if fair and square on Beijing ( as it is for ivory and rhino and pangolin)
I do think a post on in-flight flatulence would be interesting, if only to gather a swath of opinions here in the comment section. Controlling it is definitely something I struggle with, especially on longer flights.
I hate to break it to you, bud… The overwhelming consensus is going to be “go to the lav.”
And while wearing re on the subject of fumes…
Why do so many airlines serve asparagus in their First & Business class menus??
I mean really??? That urine smell is nasty !!!
I think most likely, it is somewhat safe. The passenger should know that the air is very dry on a plane. If you take off wet shoes or wet clothes, they will dry very quickly simply by keeping them on your lap, on the floor, or, in a few airplanes, they have a little coat hook on the tray table knob.
It appears it’s on a Delta flight, not American. You can tell by the seats and the markings above each row. Not that it matters; it’s gross regardless.
I literally just laughed so hard I spat out my meatloaf onto the plate as I sit here at dinner reading the comments.
Murica yeah!
Since flying was opened to the masses, this kind of despicable behavior, seems to be prevalent, along with passengers who don’t use deodorant, the pierced belly buttons in public, the pierced noses, the massive tattoos, etc. One would formerly see such behavior and attire on a Greyhound Bus. Now, welcome to the friendly skies.
That looks like a female hand. If not , it’s a man wearing jewellery…almost always an indication of bad taste/likely poor behaviour. Anything more than a wedding ring is dubious.
I have sweaty feet, and had a past experience (makes me a little bit trauma) with fungus on my feet, so I love take off my shoes wherever i can, modestly… not in public, maybe in restroom or some secluded area. but honestly, this man… wow, take it to next level. If i see a man like that, maybe I will ring FA button and told them to warning the person. it seriously bad habit and bad for people, especially with sensitive allergies.
if you had sweaty feet like me, better use sandals (which I always do when I travel with plane if I can), or what I did on last flight: I came earlier, take of my shoes, and spray some shoes deodorizer (I decant it to very small travel friendly spray bottle) while waiting gate before boarding. you will have time to dry it and it will reduce the pungent smell (both from feet and deodorizer, some does have strong “fruity” smell) drastically. I usually arrive 1 hour earlier so it will help so much to make sure the deodorizer dry completely and keep my feet dry.
another tip, ALWAYS bring activated charcoal pack for shoes. I use it on my shoes, whenever I stayin at. it help absorb moisture from my sole and remove odor. Also, wash your shoes… especially if you had bad experience with feet fungus like me, it will help the shoes not smell bad.