The barrier between public and private behavior seems to get thinner and thinner every day. For one plane full of passengers, that barrier dissolved.
Seemingly without explanation (or none that the TikTok creator overheard), a hand wearing a sock and holding a sneaker is visible over the top of a row of airline seats. But this is not just someone trying to get a better angle in the window seat to slip a shoe back on.
In Darb’s (@darb919) video, the unidentified shoe holder (though the size and profile suggests it’s a man’s shoe) is lifting a black right sneaker up to the air vents in the plane. Though not totally beat up, the shoe is clearly not new.
And if there is any confusion, Darb added information in the caption: “Airing out their shoe on the plane. [vomit emoji] Luckily, when the flight attendant saw it she put a stop to it.”
Should You Take Off Your Shoes On A Plane?
Everyone’s done it: stepped into a puddle and had to spend the rest of a busy day ignoring a soggy sock and wet insole. If you’ve got a private office or room, you might even prop the wet footwear against a heat vent or near a fan. Privacy here is key, because even the cleanest feet can stink.
But the clueless confidence or entitlement it takes to subject an entire commercial airliner to the odors embedded in a sneaker? That’s the kind of thing that suggests a very overindulged childhood.
There’s also a strange kind of forced intimacy happening in the clip. As Time reports, “Aversion to feet has to do with hygiene preference.” And since feet can be smelly, dirty, infected, or fungal, a hygiene concern tracks—even for those who don’t suffer from a foot phobia. Now imagine those germs become airborne, coating everyone around them in an invisible layer of sneaker dust.
If you’re the kind of traveler who’s tempted to kick your shoes off mid-flight, consider this: There’s a risk that in the high-traffic environment of the plane, you might pick up an unwanted traveler of your own. Especially from a lavatory floor, since there’s likely a mixture of urine, water, and other bodily fluids.
Are Planes Just Flying Buses?
Users in the comments section immediately made the case for gatekeeping flight access. For better or worse, many folks are drawing a correlation between affordable flights and unacceptable behavior.
“Flying has gotten way too affordable,” one said.
“Zero chance I don’t immediately and loudly call that out,” another said.
“Immediate no fly list,” a third wrote.
“Spirit closing is affecting us already,” a fourth quipped.
Just Say Please (And Put Your Shoe Back On)
So what to do if you’re in a situation of horrifying in-flight etiquette? Start with a diplomatic opening line. Another tactic that could work is gentle humor, or a simple ask for a “favor” (the outcome you want).
Sometimes it helps to give a reason for your request, especially if your fellow traveler’s action is impacting your ability to enjoy your own flight. Finally, if another passenger is behaving in a truly egregious manner, ask the flight attendant to intercede. Everyone is required to listen to their instructions.
BroBible reached out to Darb via TikTok direct message and through a comment on the post. We will update this article if we get more information.