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“Wear jeans, not pajamas,” said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy during a press conference at Newark Liberty International Airport on November 24, 2025. “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport,” he urged travelers, recommending instead “a pair of jeans and a decent shirt.” His words came as part of a new push to restore courtesy and calm to crowded airports across America.
That simple plea marked the launch of a nationwide initiative, “The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You,” a civility campaign by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The aim was not fashion policing but reviving a sense of decorum in air travel. The message was clear: when travel gets hectic, especially as the Thanksgiving holiday season brings the busiest travel days of the year, maybe what you wear can help shape how you behave.
Passenger behavior at airports and on flights has been a growing concern for the authorities. The FAA recorded more than 11,000 unruly passenger reports in the last few years. A study by a US travel group noted that one in five travelers admitted losing their temper at least once during a trip. In another survey, passengers listed lack of space, long lines and fellow travelers as the top reasons for stress. So the government’s logic is that better manners can lower tension and maybe even prevent small conflicts from turning into something bigger.
While Secretary Duffy focused on attire, his comments sparked a larger discussion. Many airlines, especially on long-haul business class flights, provide pajamas and slippers for inflight comfort. Premium cabins on Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Air India routinely include designer sleepwear for overnight flights. The nuance is that Duffy’s message targets boarding and airport behavior, not changing into pajamas after takeoff. The goal is to balance comfort and respect for shared spaces.
Under “The Golden Age of Travel” campaign, travelers are encouraged not only to avoid pajamas and slippers but also to show kindness and courtesy, while parents are reminded to keep an eye on their children’s behavior when flying. Duffy also urged them to help fellow passengers with overhead luggage, say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to flight attendants, keep their shoes on, avoid putting feet on seats, and be mindful when reclining seats in economy class.
But the Internet had other plans. Netizens turned this into a complete debate show. On social media, one comment read: “I’ve got 99 problems and someone wearing pajamas on a plane ain’t one of them.” Others pointed to real frustrations. “Fix the tiny seats. Fix the delays. Don’t police our pajamas,” wrote one user on a travel forum. Another added that no matter what you wear, cramped overhead bins, long security lines, and overbooked flights make travel miserable — just a dress code won’t change that. One viral comment said the government should fix flight delays before fixing pajamas.
Many saw Duffy’s call as out-of-touch, especially during long flights to Taipei, Manila, Cebu, Beijing, Bangkok, and Singapore where comfort matters more than sophistication. Yet, some voices backed the idea. A few frequent flyers said airports often look sloppy. They believe better attire could improve overall mood. Some lifestyle experts even pointed out that clothes can influence behavior, and perhaps a neat shirt encourages a calm attitude more than bed‑time shorts.
The debate highlights a tension between comfort and civility. The campaign “The Golden Age of Travel Starts With You” does not enforce rules but nudges travelers to consider how small actions and choices, including clothing, affect others in shared spaces. It also comes at a time when airlines are grappling with operational pressure, security challenges, weather-induced flight cancellations and growing passenger expectations after 43 days of the US government shutdown. However, DOT Secretary Duffy’s message is a playful reminder – air travel is also a shared social experience.
