We see all kinds of stories of people doing weird things on planes. In most cases I avoid sharing them, either because the person being talked about can be identified, or because it’s clear the person doing something might have mental issues.
But what a Twitter user shared from an Air France flight from Paris to Los Angeles yesterday (where a fellow passenger stripped down to his boxers) is just plain hilarious, even though I have no clue what exactly led to this.
The reason I don’t feel bad sharing this is because apparently what he did wasn’t objectively wrong, since the crew didn’t take issue with it. Is it not totally unreasonable to wear boxers on a plane? I guess is it really that different than wearing shorts without underwear?
It’s not something I’d do, but I don’t think this is as “crazy” as taking off your clothes completely, or stripping down into briefs.
And maybe it’s that ambiguity that makes this hilarious. Check out this series of Tweets (I don’t think Air France had Wi-Fi on this plane, so the Tweets were during boarding and after landing).
It starts with the Twitter user just sharing that the man across from her took his pants off and just sat there in his boxers. Then he removed his socks (as one does when in boxers, though I’m not sure that’s more offensive than what the passenger next to him is doing)…
He has also removed his socks. pic.twitter.com/0cmhtlFxOi
— Lizzie Thompson (@Lizzie_Thompson) February 18, 2019
Then somehow a ukulele gets involved. Then the passenger alerted the flight attendants of her fellow passenger’s behavior and they seemed unconcerned by this…
Update @AirFranceFR – alerted the flight attendant. He offered to move me (which would mean losing my bulkhead legroom) but just shrugged when I suggested he ask the man to put his pants back on.
— Lizzie Thompson (@Lizzie_Thompson) February 18, 2019
Then the passenger took four mini bottles of wine, fell asleep, and then later got cold, so he put on a jacker (but not pants)…
Just landed. 2 hours in he stood up and took 4 mini bottles of wine from the cart. Then he fell asleep. Then 6 hours in he got cold so PUT ON HIS PUFFY JACKET pic.twitter.com/wNFq9L2bkH
— Lizzie Thompson (@Lizzie_Thompson) February 18, 2019
And then the user even answers some of the pressing questions some of us might have had…
To answer a few q’s I’ve seen:
1. He took pants off in the plane bathroom pre-takeoff. He put them back on pre-landing in aisle right next to me.
2. He was neither American nor French
3. No ukulele was played, sadly@airfrance #CDG to #LAX— Lizzie Thompson (@Lizzie_Thompson) February 19, 2019
Who knows what really happened, but this sure gave me a good laugh… especially when the passenger decided to put on a jacket, presumably because he was cold.
Lucky, I flew from HNL to LAX with Delta in 2014 and my seatmate stripped out of his pants and just wore boxers throughout. I was too painfully embarrassed to say anything for 5.5 hours, and apparently so were the flight attendants. He was a one-legged midget. I am not even kidding you......Been flying since 1982 and that was the most awkward/badly memorable/embarrassing flight I've ever had. You couldn't make this s***t up!
Once when flying CX biz class in row 3 (mini cabin) I saw the guy in the middle seat of Row 2 (First Class) strip down completely. Not kidding. Before he took his boxers off he wrapped a robe around himself. I looked away, but could not believe this, and when I turned back, he was leaning over to pick up his PJ's. Let's just say I didn't need to see this sight and even writing this brings back those vivid (unfortunately) memories.
While I dont find this hilarious, I am also not particularly offended either. I am just saddened by general the lack of decorum and courtesy demonstrated here. It doesnt appear as if the gentleman harassed anyone, he didnt expose himself, and the crew seems to have generally let it go. No other passengers (from what we are told, anyway) seemed to have been bothered. A high crime and misdemeanor, this isnt.
That said, boxers are...
While I dont find this hilarious, I am also not particularly offended either. I am just saddened by general the lack of decorum and courtesy demonstrated here. It doesnt appear as if the gentleman harassed anyone, he didnt expose himself, and the crew seems to have generally let it go. No other passengers (from what we are told, anyway) seemed to have been bothered. A high crime and misdemeanor, this isnt.
That said, boxers are underwear. They may cover as much or more than swim trunks, but they are meant to be worn under your outer garments. I neither need nor want to see some other guy's drawers. If a woman had done this (with female undergarments), the world would be apoplectic.
Finally, while I realize that privacy in public is generally gone these days, what is the fascination with taking pictures of other people and posting them with comments? If this were some sort of 'incident' (security/safety/whathaveyou), I might understand. But its not.
Why didn‘t she just ask him directly not to run around naked instead of posting pitures?
The other day at new York tube there were hundreds doing that on an arranged action, and no one found the story more that be a bit funny... I cannot find the hilarious point unless your life is extremely boring....
Disgusting. Western culture is screwed.
I really wish Ben would just stick to writing about trip reports, airline rewards and the like. This kind of topic really drags this site to a lower level. I would expect to see this on Yahoo news (and yes, the guy is in his underwear. This is not acceptable and he should have been told to put his pants back on).
No one knows if he had a thong on under the boxers, so shut your pie holes or fingers.
I’m just glad a millennial was around to take pictures and tweet about it!
"Boxers are like wearing shorts"
No, no, no. Boxers are underwear. One does not travel in one's underwear. Ever. That's simply not up for discussion. If he tried wandering around in the airport or in a lounge in his underwear, he'd be escorted to the nearest security office for a little discussion on the proper attire for public spaces.
Only would an American be offended and then passive-aggressively post to Twitter. Don't complain for complainings sake. Complain to get something out of it, we all have our price. The purser didn't do much so she should have filed a complaint on landing. AF would have doled out a couple K of miles or a travel voucher for her 'troubles'.
I can't believe how many people here think it's normal to strip down to underwear on the plane. Nobody wants his hair/sweat on the seat. While the act is probably legal and allowed by the airline, you shouldn't do it because you need to respect people around you. Have you all lost sense of decency in public?
What if a woman stripped down to her underwear or bra? Then what?
What if a kid was sitting across the aisle?
Don't boxers have a hole in the front to allow for ... um ... access? What if that came out?!
Shorts are fine. Underwear is not.
(p.s. posting an unidentifiable photo is not violation of privacy ... can any of you identify exactly who this person was? then stop it)
At least he didn't put his feet up on the bulkhead like the woman in the second pic
I do not find this hilarious, boxers are "underwear"...which I've never understood why people wear them cause if you are large, you keep falling out and it becomes very very uncomfortable. See, I can say that since this whole story and thread is in the gutter...lol. What if he got an erection while asleep and lets say happened to be on the larger side but liked boxers and his penis shot out and was on...
I do not find this hilarious, boxers are "underwear"...which I've never understood why people wear them cause if you are large, you keep falling out and it becomes very very uncomfortable. See, I can say that since this whole story and thread is in the gutter...lol. What if he got an erection while asleep and lets say happened to be on the larger side but liked boxers and his penis shot out and was on display?
We live in an era where all levels of public decency are gone. Take note of the new TittyDress coming to a local wine bar (see Kim Kardashian's "dress" and straps over her nipples from last night) as what is now heading for the norm.
I am far from being a prude...but jeez, have some respect for the passenger sitting next to you! If this was in First or even Business (as long as its an individual seat then its ok-ish, not great but less chance of offending. In Economy, that is an absolute NO!!!
I like to sleep in briefs and t-shirt in general. When in F or J I usually wear fairly thin sleep shorts (over my underwear) ...these shorts could be worn in public if need be...and a t-shirt. If its cold Ill pull on the airliner PJ top and thats it. I'm very considerate of others.
lol @Rukmi with his privacy comments.
makes me think it was Rukmi in his boxer briefs all along.
and yes, there is absolutely no expectation of privacy in public places, but there is expectation of basic common courtesy.
@P J if you can identify him.
Yeah, this is like a 0.5 on the scale of objectionable behavior. Wear whatever you're comfortable in, and as long as it covers all your bits it's all good. If she was really bothered for some reason, maybe looking away and ignoring it would have been more effective than obsessing about it on Twitter.
@SuperVT10
I guess that's worse than the woman sitting across the aisle from me who set up a total manicure on her tray table, and finished with polish that fumed up an entire section of the plane.
Trashy people are everywhere.
@Kerry ; )
P.S. Always wrong to post pictures of other people online without their permission.
He is not even hot to begin with.
What a waste of time!
And I thought wearing pyjama bottoms in public was low-class...
Never anyone stylish and good looking. Hopefully he didn’t get walk through the terminal in his undergarments
There is no decorum left in air travel.
We've finally found Debit in real life.
It's weird and bad that the guy stripped down to his underwear during a flight
You see everything these days. A few years ago in Business Class on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg the guy across the aisle from me removed his shoes and socks and clipped his grossly-long toenails during the flight, send nail clippings everywhere...
At least he didn't have Hershey Highway markings.
Wow - amazed at the people here who think it’s okay/normal to strip down to your underwear in a public place? Is that really how low the bar is?
For all those defending this guy in is underwear, how about this - is there any context in which it is NOT okay in your world to strip down to your boxers? Because I would think a crowded public space in which you are confined...
Wow - amazed at the people here who think it’s okay/normal to strip down to your underwear in a public place? Is that really how low the bar is?
For all those defending this guy in is underwear, how about this - is there any context in which it is NOT okay in your world to strip down to your boxers? Because I would think a crowded public space in which you are confined for a long period with random strangers is just about the worst place to behave like this.
The jacket was hilarious though.
@Randy +1 well said!
I'm not that offended by this. 2 years ago I was in Qatar Airways First Class A380 Doha - Bangkok. there was just one other passenger in first class. He boarded, then stripped completely to his boxers. No shirt. No socks. Just the underwear. Stayed that way the entire flight, flight attendants didnt do anything. It was weird but fine I guess.
@Randy just coz there is no exception does not mean you can take photo of anyone. The guy who took this photos & circulated in social media is totally an asshole and out of bounds.
@Tobias, "Boxers are like wearing shorts..." Really? In your world, [underwear] = [underwear] + [shorts]. Remind me not to sit on any seats you have used previously.
I find this much less offensive than those obnoxious selfish people who recline their seat all the way into your lap. Give me the boxer shorts dude before those idiots any day! He seems harmless enough.
@Rukmi
There's no expectation of privacy in public. And when someone behaves like trash, they're going to get noticed.
The standards of public behavior have fallen abysmally low.
I'm surprised by all the no big deal attitude. Boxes are underwear, he wasn't in shorts and flip flops. I'm sure if the poster had peeled off her outer garments to show her bra, panties or worse yet a full on spanx body suit (which is no different than running tights) you'd all have something to say.
Who gave him permission to take photos of man in boxers & put it on social media. The problem is everyone thinks of themselves as sensational reporters now..this is clearly invading privacy.
I don't know why the person posting got so bothered. It is not like this person is sitting beside her/brushing against her, or putting naked food on your seat/armrest/tray table, or drunkenly trying to talk to her, or has a smell that is reaching her nose. She would have to turn her head 90 degree to the right and look across the aisle to see it, and even then, once the guy is seated, it...
I don't know why the person posting got so bothered. It is not like this person is sitting beside her/brushing against her, or putting naked food on your seat/armrest/tray table, or drunkenly trying to talk to her, or has a smell that is reaching her nose. She would have to turn her head 90 degree to the right and look across the aisle to see it, and even then, once the guy is seated, it would have looked like of someone that is wearing short. I swear, people are constantly looking for things to be offended/bothered about. Calling FA to try to have him moved was really petty.
Btw, I have a swim shorts/trunks that looks like boxers.
Flying and the Internet: Two things that were better before they were democratized.
It's funny to see OMAAT going further down the drain by the day.
It's your blog, but seriously?
Agree, overreaction and someone trying to be popular across social media. Boxers are like wearing shorts and as long as the pax didnt ask the crew to pull up and down his pants and wipe his a... (like the EVA case) it's harmless.
What a drama queen. So he was in his boxers......and??? Typical uptight American
"but just shrugged when I suggested he ask the man to put his pants back on."
Ah, the world-famous Gallic Shrug. You have to be French to perform it. And we don't even notice it, it's just second nature :-D
Give the guy some credit...he at least ukulele music.