United States Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is launching an interesting campaign, and I agree with him 100%…
In this post:
Transportation Secretary wants flying to be civilized again
Transportation Secretary Duffy has taken to social media to encourage travelers to be more civilized. In a post on Twitter/X, Duffy writes the following:
It’s not your imagination. Traveling has become more uncivilized! The Facts:
- 400% increase in outbursts on planes since 2019
- 1 in 5 flight attendants report experiencing physical incidents
- Unruly passenger events DOUBLED since 2019
But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Golden Age of Travel starts with all of us. It’s time to bring back civility and manners when we travel
That’s accompanied by a 90-second video, which first shows clips from the “golden age” of air travel, followed by clips from the not-so-golden-age of air travel, with people fighting, arguing, and more.
In the last 30 seconds of the video, Duffy makes a plea to the public:
“Things aren’t what they used to be. Some might call it the golden age of travel. Let’s bring civility and manners back. Ask yourself, are you helping a pregnant woman put her bag in the overhead bin? Are you dressing with respect? Are you keeping control of your children? Are you saying thank you to your flight attendants and your pilots? Are you saying please and thank you in general? The golden age to travel begins with you.”
I commend Secretary Duffy for this campaign!
I think it’s fantastic to see the Transportation Secretary encouraging kindness and consideration of others, and I very much appreciate the tone of this campaign. It’s entirely positive, and it’s non-partisan. Will this materially change the way people act? Probably not. But either way, it’s a nice effort and we can always use more good vibes.
Up until now, a lot of Duffy’s messaging has been very partisan, so it’s nice to see something totally void of politics, that everyone should be able to agree on.
It’s interesting to see the responses to Duffy’s post, with a lot of people on social media basically blaming airlines for how uncivilized things have become, due to airlines cutting legroom, charging for bags, etc. I don’t think that’s fair, as I recently explained in a post about the golden age of air travel, and how it might all be an illusion.
The reality is that flying is much more affordable than decades ago, and therefore, it’s also not as special of an experience. That’s a good thing, because ultimately it means that air travel isn’t just for the rich, but it’s for everyone. In many cases it now costs more to take an Uber to the airport than to actually fly somewhere, so of course that also has an impact on the way people behave.
The people you see on planes are now much more a reflection of all of society, and we do have some argumentative and aggressive people out there!
Bottom line
The US Transportation Secretary has launched a campaign to encourage civility and manners when flying, asking people to thank pilots and flight attendants, dress nicely, and help others. I think that’s something we should all be able to get behind, so kudos… we need more of this! Can we try this with politics now? 😉
What do you make of Duffy’s kindness campaign?
As good as Mr. Duffy's idea is, it's difficult to implement when his boss shows no civility or manners on his own.
And Ben - I disagree with you on the effect that cutting legroom has had on people's behavior on airplanes. When you're cramped together uncomfortably with strangers in a tight space just to increase the stock price of the airline, you don't act the same as when you get off the plane.
...As good as Mr. Duffy's idea is, it's difficult to implement when his boss shows no civility or manners on his own.
And Ben - I disagree with you on the effect that cutting legroom has had on people's behavior on airplanes. When you're cramped together uncomfortably with strangers in a tight space just to increase the stock price of the airline, you don't act the same as when you get off the plane.
I'd love to see data on the number of inflight incidents on an airline known for extra legroom - like JetBlue, even with its operational problems - compared with an airline that forces their passengers to sit with their knees up in their chin - like Frontier and Spirit.
I see a common theme with the clips shared in the video
U.S. transportation is an expensive joke. Why don’t he and the agency work on changing that instead?
We don’t need oversimplified and tone deaf (based on delusion) platitudes.
@BenSchlappig
I also wish that the US secretary of transportation would make the Train Travel Great so we can catch up with the rest of world...
Still no real High Speed Trains in the U.S...
Suggestion:
Remove all economy seating.
Remove all premium economy seating.
Fill aircraft with F&J seats.
Stop all points programs.
With no proletariat seating available and no points chasing customers, one should see a return to the “Golden Age of Aviation”.
La Compagnie!
Civility and manners. Well that means half the American population will be prohibited from travelling.
Does he grasp the irony of that when the mendacious misogynist orange clown refers to a reporter as a pig.
The fish rots from the head.
The reporters name is Peggy :)
The reporter's name is Catherine Lucey, UncleRonnie
It was Catherine Lucey, a Bloomberg correspondent.
wanna remind us who told us that half of Americans were "deplorables"?
it had nothing to do with 45 or 47.
and she lost, btw
Well, Tim, some were (and still are).
Extremes on both the far-right and far-left are not great examples for the rest of us.
You know this already.
This administration, asking for civility and manners, from others!!!!
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
This administration, asking for civility and manners, from others!!!!
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Still waiting for our Joseph Welch moment: "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" We're overdue.
Of course, people here have to make this political. They are part of the problem. BTW your hero Jasemine Crockett when on the Congressional floor claiming that her "crack team" determined that Jeffrey Epstein gave money to a bunch of named Republican politicians. Of course, in her ghetto voice.
Turns out this "Jeffrey Epstein" was a doctor that had no connection to the "Jeffrey Epstein." People that support her are the same people assaulting airport...
Of course, people here have to make this political. They are part of the problem. BTW your hero Jasemine Crockett when on the Congressional floor claiming that her "crack team" determined that Jeffrey Epstein gave money to a bunch of named Republican politicians. Of course, in her ghetto voice.
Turns out this "Jeffrey Epstein" was a doctor that had no connection to the "Jeffrey Epstein." People that support her are the same people assaulting airport workers or think it something to do with "MAGA."
As Capt Buck Lucky said recently at Cranky Flier: “Politics came for aviation, not the other way around.” It's all political, George. People, culture, resources, power. Unavoidable.
"...in her ghetto voice."
Great job at being a racist. Again.
TravelinWilly, I'd've also called out George's use of 'crack' (obvious dog-whistle, too); at least George didn't use his other go-to's like 'low IQ' (Trump uses it, too). Of course, Ben's post (and Duffy's comments) had nothing to do with Representative Crockett or Jeffrey Epstein. Naturally, George thinks misbehavior is only a 'left' problem... *facepalm*
Secretary Duffy should go back to The Real World. This hypocritical 'pronouncement' is yet another 'culture war' dog-whistle distraction from the real affordability issues, rampant corruption, and this administration's failure to invest in people, technology, and infrastructure, all of which is what the DOT should actually be focused on.
And, where were those of you defending 'civility' when former Secretary Buttigieg called for the same in 2021, after Trump needlessly and harmfully politicized masks then. Sad.
"Do as I say, not as I do," is a pretty poor way to effect social change, IMO
How about people have the civility to pack a bag that they can easily lift into the overhead bin if they bring it onboard...
So, we can't say "Quiet Piggy" to the flight attendants? Good to know.
“Have you said thank you once?” -JD
Ahhhh. I remember those days. When we weren't treated like cattle to be herded and cramped into our stalls by the airlines.
I kinda think it’s more his job to respect and recruit more ATCs so we even have air travel. Could it possibly be that Little Lord F can’t do his job? This reminds me of Nancy Reagan’s Just Say No campaign.
Exactly. Literally, about a week ago, during the shutdown, Duffy was withholding vital information, and punishing ‘blue city’ airports. This guy is not acting in good-faith here. He knows it.
The real deal is how this administration just screwed over consumers and workers with their revocation of that proposed compensation scheme and by fighting against unions.
In that clip did you notice how the throwback video from the 'supposed Golden age' only included elderly white people?
“Why don’t you wear a suit?” -Brian (MTG's boyfriend) Glenn, at the WH, March 2025.
Ha ha. It's rich coming from someone whose boss is one of greatest indecent and uncivil bullies of all time.
“When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
I'm not a fan of the Trump administration. That being said I totally agree with Sean Duffy's message here. Travelling can be stressful so being polite and considerate can help ease that a bit.
the message, not the messenger, is what matters
Americans are by far the most confrontational and entitled group of people in the world - among large countries - and certainly among "developed" nations.
This message is needed but needs to be backed by much tougher punishment. Physical altercations with anyone in a metal tube are simply not acceptable. Having to divert a flight should require full reimbursement of the costs by the offending passenger.
Agree on the second part but if you truly believe the first part, you’re not that well travelled (Americans are still comparatively quite terrible).
I just returned from a 25,000 mile, 4 continent trip which involved travel on more than a half dozen foreign airlines with most of the travel not touching the US or having a majority of Americans as passengers. I am certain of what I say.
Every culture has rude and entitled passengers but the sheer number of Americans and the fact that Americans are by far the most individualized - and unrestrained by group norms...
I just returned from a 25,000 mile, 4 continent trip which involved travel on more than a half dozen foreign airlines with most of the travel not touching the US or having a majority of Americans as passengers. I am certain of what I say.
Every culture has rude and entitled passengers but the sheer number of Americans and the fact that Americans are by far the most individualized - and unrestrained by group norms (which guide most cultures) is why Americans collectively have more of a negative impact on global travel experiences than any other country.
There are many, many good Americans who are kind and decent and follow rules and norms but the sheer number of Americans as a result of the country's size and wealth is what sets Americans out.
Duffy is not wrong on this one - but it is also reflective of American society as a whole.
My reply didn’t require a reply. I’m not reading all of that but I’m happy for you. Or sorry that happened.
It seems, like in other parts of life, that COVID had a more profound impact on people that they're aware of.
This won't be the only time where you'll find statistics showing significant increases in anti social behaviour since 2019.
It's like people were shut away for a year and forgot how to interact with people
Nope. The start of the decline of civility was a decade earlier in 2009 when Donald Trump got his first twitter handle. Since then he's led the way in being an arsehole and everyone around he planet thinks its ok to be the same.
UncleRonnie, I'd've gone with January 8, 2004, the air date of the first episode of The Apprentice.
Holding airport bars and FAs liable for over serving would be a great first step.
It's easy to think this is an American problem. But, it's the case in other countries.
I don’t need some old white guy - whose main talent is looking pretty in a suit while repeating whatever his vile bosses hand him - telling me how to dress.
Besides that it's not a terrible message
Thank you for somehow bringing race into this... I think we're getting closer to the root of this problem.
I'm old, white, and male. I had no choice in when I was was born or what DNA I got. So. f☆ck you. How, about we judge people by their character?
100% agree but as long as there's ULCCs and our society which excuses this kind of behavior and even rewards it I don't see anything changing.
Oh the irony! Civility and the Trump administration is an oxymoron.
This is a tough idea to realize, but nonetheless a good one.
Strong suggestion: put in place a blanket ban throughout the entire airport / airline system on the use of any noise-making device without headphones. No speaker phones, no iPads, no radios, etc. that produce audible sound without headphones.
COMMENT OF THE DAY!
What about the role of decrepit, cranky, unfirable flight attendants in all of this?
No.
You know what would be civilized? Having a law that guaranteed compensation from airlines to passengers for extreme delays/cancellations.
I won’t hold my breath for Sec Duffy to implement this though
Yes!! Thank you! We need an EU261-equivalent in the USA!
I think this is something we should all get behind.
I would prefer to get behind a law that required airlines to financially compensate pax for delays and cancellations akin to EU261.
No reason you can't do both.
You can also move to Europe (like I have) if the issue is that important to you. Additionally, you can book itineraries that always transit through Europe to ensure you always get that protection. Not sure if I'd be onboard for a LAX-LHR-SFO itinerary instead of LAX-SFO but I'm sure a few people who frequent this site would be.
@TG: With advice like that, I'm assuming you never express any desires about changing any laws in your own country?
Of course I do.....that's why I said he can do both. And if you aren't successful in changing laws in your home country, your options are to either keep trying, accept things the way they are or relcoate. None of those options precludes one from behaving in a civil manner which is the basic point on the article.
justindev, yes! Thank you and the others for keeping this issue alive! We need an EU261 equivalent in the USA!
So, you want higher airfares?