Here’s a very specific airport lounge etiquette question that I’d love to get some reader takes on…
In this post:
Airport lounge furniture: shoes or socks?
It’s common to see travelers behaving poorly in airport lounges, whether it’s people picking their nose at a buffet, or putting their bare feet on chairs. However, here’s where it gets tricky, if you ask me.
Many airport lounges have chairs with ottomans, so that you can get comfortable. If you choose to sit in one of these seats, should you keep your shoes on, or take them off? Logically speaking, it’s considered a best practice to not put your feet with shoes on furniture, right?
Well, I just spent (don’t ask how many) hours in the Cathay Pacific First Lounge Heathrow, which has quite a few chairs with ottomans overlooking the apron. This is my favorite place to sit, since the chairs are comfortable, and the views are amazing.
But here’s what I noticed — not a single person who used the ottoman took their shoes off. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t spying on people, or anything, but every 15 minutes or so I’d just glance over, and would notice that everyone had shoes on, and no one was just wearing socks.
While I kept my feet off the ottoman for most of my stay, at some point I did want to put them up, so I took off my shoes, and placed my feet with socks onto the ottoman. For the record (not that anyone is asking), I had a fresh pair of socks on, and I had just showered a couple of hours earlier, in the lounge. I almost felt self conscious placing my feet in socks on the ottoman, simply because I was countering the trend.
When a lounge staff member came up to me, I quickly put my shoes on, because subconsciously I almost felt like I was doing something wrong. It reminded me of the below elevator experiment.
Am I wrong? What am I missing?
Human behavior is a funny thing, and I can’t help but be fascinated by what I observed. Literally dozens of people put their feet up, and not a single other person took their shoes off. Am I just wrong, and the correct etiquette is to keep your shoes on? Did they realize the better etiquette is to take shoes off, but didn’t care? Were they worried their feet were smelly?
I’m trying to make sense of this, and I can sort of kind of see where people might be coming from. Generally, taking your shoes off on a plane is questionable (especially if you’re seated close to others), so perhaps some people think the same policy applies in airport lounges. And I can also see how people might be self conscious, given that feet might be smellier than usual when traveling.
But it’s also possible that I have it completely wrong. Is the correct etiquette in fact to leave your shoes on? Is either acceptable?
Bottom line
I feel like it’s a best practice to never place shoes onto furniture. Yet based on what I’ve observed, people in airport lounges do that, rather than taking off their shoes, and placing socks on furniture. I tend to think that if it’s me against the world, then I’m probably the one in the wrong. So that’s why I’m asking y’all…
Can anyone help me understand this? What’s the correct etiquette for feet on airport lounge furniture?
Great question given the variety of responses! Personally, no feet on ottoman use for me. I agree with the other commenter that my clean socks are not going on an ottoman where someone else likely put their shoes. I also feel like it's rude to put shoes up in such a way that other people would be looking at the bottom, which that could be a cultural thing as Americans seem okay with that.
I'm shocked this is a question. Nobody should have their shoes off in a public lounge. Period. The ottoman was made to rest your feet. You shouldn't remove your shoes to use it anymore than you'd remove them to walk on the carpet in a lounge.
To be clear, no shoes on chairs, couches, etc. Ottomans are different.
In most lounges I have visited, in trains and airplanes, at anytime some staff member will come and tell you to remove your shoes from the furniture. (last week in Dubai airport)
In European trains if you put your feet with shoes on on a bench you get fined!
Great article…it needed to be addressed. I have been a flight attendant for over 30 years..still working for one of the big 3. I too think if you must put your feet up it should be socks…no shoes. I also feel uncomfortable..especially when in uniform. Now the bigger issue…the gold medallion in 1B with their shoes straight up in the air on bulkhead wall! Usually a stern look while attempting to take 1A’s order does...
Great article…it needed to be addressed. I have been a flight attendant for over 30 years..still working for one of the big 3. I too think if you must put your feet up it should be socks…no shoes. I also feel uncomfortable..especially when in uniform. Now the bigger issue…the gold medallion in 1B with their shoes straight up in the air on bulkhead wall! Usually a stern look while attempting to take 1A’s order does the trick. This is a very real problem as the airlines have given such entitlement to their “status” passengers. I do ask for the feet to come down as we try to keep the wall free of scuff marks. The reactions are all over the place…from apologizing to out right glares that I dare call out their poor behavior.
My bad! Didn’t see this article before visiting the CX lounge yesterday: https://imgur.com/a/YSg4SBn
I keep my shoes on but hang them over the far end of the ottoman, so they don’t touch the furniture. I have long legs.
Shirts and shoes required. Didn't you see the sign on the door?
- I don't care to breathe your foot odor. Leave the shoes on!
- Gee, it must be swell to be so perfect and odor-free.
Oh lord, the number of shoes on the furniture at the KAL lounge in LAX when they were accepting priority pass... That's why those cream colored chairs were dark grey. So, so nasty.
It's not just ottomans. Was at the IGA Lounge at IST recently (International Terminal) and people move chairs around just to be able to stretch, not taking off their shoes either. Now the lounge has only half the capacity because there are no more chairs, those chairs that are free are dirty because of people's shoes and the aisles are blocked so you can't walk through the lounge properly.
TBF, the staff could just tell...
It's not just ottomans. Was at the IGA Lounge at IST recently (International Terminal) and people move chairs around just to be able to stretch, not taking off their shoes either. Now the lounge has only half the capacity because there are no more chairs, those chairs that are free are dirty because of people's shoes and the aisles are blocked so you can't walk through the lounge properly.
TBF, the staff could just tell people to not move the chairs and go to the Yotel opposite the lounge ... but here we are.
Shoes off, socks on!! FULL STOP!!!!!!
It's sort of a filthy habit to put your shoes up on furniture. Most of the world would not approve...
That's what an ottoman is for. I'd much rather have someone with shoes up and on next to me than have those smelly dogs out and disturbing my lounge time. The ottoman will get cleaned, no one is going to wash the feet of the person next to me.
I carry a pair of slippers in my bag for these difficult decisions
Will you put your shoes on your furniture at home ? Oh will you let some of your guests put theirs shores on your ottoman ? No right ? Same applies at lounges and on aboard
SHOES OFF FROM FURNITURES GOD DAMN IT !!
I don't want to smell other people's feet in the airport lounge. Keep your shoes on!
It is a great question but here’s my thoughts. If the question is about cleanliness then I would pose this, how many people place their bags on the seats (ottomans or otherwise) in lounges when they too have been on the ground in airports, cities etc? Also, many people take their shoes off in planes and walk into the bathrooms etc with their socks on and then place those same socks on the ottomans you...
It is a great question but here’s my thoughts. If the question is about cleanliness then I would pose this, how many people place their bags on the seats (ottomans or otherwise) in lounges when they too have been on the ground in airports, cities etc? Also, many people take their shoes off in planes and walk into the bathrooms etc with their socks on and then place those same socks on the ottomans you mention. So, on that basis, I’m not sure there is much of a difference. When one puts thought in to it, all options are pretty gross.
DeepSeek says: In a Formal or Public Setting: Keep your shoes on, especially if you're in someone else's home, a waiting room, or a public space. Removing shoes in such settings might be considered too casual or inappropriate.
DeepSeek is deeply wrong lol.
Eg: Most cultures covering the bulk of the world's population prefer you not wear your outside shoes into the home...
Especially if you are in someone else's home?!
That's savage. And exactly where you lost me. AI has a long way to go.
I personally usually leave my shoes on. It's not someone's living room, it's an airport where you and everyone else are coming and going constantly. That said, I've seen people taking shoes off and I've probably done it a few times myself and I don't think I've ever even given a second though as to whether that's inappropriate or not
Shoes on!
You are so gross. You are in public. I don't want to see your feet. We aren't at the beach. What is wrong with you? Ethics and values are really just optional these days. So you think that women should take off their shoes for the furniture? Do you have any idea how many men would take that as in invitation? Go get a book on ethics.
It is a public lounge. So unless other guidelines are posted, it is probably correct to leave your shoes on. Who knows what has been on that ottoman?
clearly remove the shoes - it's disgusting putting all dirt from floors around the world onto this ottoman.
Was in the same situation (exactly in this Cathay lounge) after long travels with probably smelly feet - so I took a shower first and could relax in peace with new socks on the ottoman after.
I don't know why especially American people tend to be super anxious about taking theirs shoes off - especially in public...
clearly remove the shoes - it's disgusting putting all dirt from floors around the world onto this ottoman.
Was in the same situation (exactly in this Cathay lounge) after long travels with probably smelly feet - so I took a shower first and could relax in peace with new socks on the ottoman after.
I don't know why especially American people tend to be super anxious about taking theirs shoes off - especially in public places, but some also in their homes. Feet are just a normal part of the body :D
People think the ottomans are dirty and are hesitant to put their socks on it, OR it's just too much hassle to remove and put back on. I would personally wipe down first, then take shoes off.
Since everyone else is leaving their shoes on, it seems ridiculous to expose your clean socks and feet to an ottoman where countless people before you have put their shoes.
I've never thought about this question, and will continue to never think about this.
Even on an aircraft, if I get lucky to have 3 seats to myself, I will use the opportunity to stretch out and lay my legs up, but I am very conscious about not placing my feet/shoes onto the seat. I leave my feet dangling off the front each of the 3rd seat. I don't know... if it were a longer flight and I wanted completely lay out, I'd probably take my shoes off.
Just goes to show you don't know what the plebs do! I take off my shoes in eco EVERY FLIGHT.
And, in similar fashion, use the restroom?
That's what you have slippers for. If on a flight where I don't get slippers, I bring a pair.
What I really don't get is people wearing slippers to the lavatories, and then put them in to their carry on after the flight. But that's a separate story.
They should have wipe down supplies like at the gym for those ottomans. Then, and only then, will I take my shoes off.
100%
Given the number of people I've seen sprawled out on lounge floors wrapped in a sleeping bag and pillows I don't think one needs to worry about lounge etiquette. That boat sailed a long time ago.
Shoes on in public spaces always
I think it’s inappropriate to have your shoes off in a shared space like this
In this situation, I cleverly avoid both errors by positioning the ottoman so that I leave my shoes on, but my shoes don't rest on the ottoman; they dangle just past. It supports my ankles and it's super comfy. I have long legs though, so it works.YMMV
In Asia, if you were meant to take your shoes off, you would do it at the entrance and place them in a locker.
Shoes on.
My view: if you stink keep your shoes. If you don't, remove them
Clearly shoes off. Whatever you say, it is shoes on the furniture which is a no go.
I always do that in the CX lounge in Heathrow, no staff member have ever commented nor given my odd looks.
Shoes on when using furniture in the public, fungal spores can penetrate through socks and live on the leather ottoman, last thing you want is athletes foot, fungal nail infection etc.
Oh the irony, but so many passengers don't hesitate to remove their shoes, or even their socks, when going to the onboard lavatory. As Ben has said countless times before: it is definitely NOT water.
@Ben
It is better to put your shoes on the ottoman than to remove them and especially when one's feet are smelly. In that case the shoes will leave some dust on the ottoman which is bearable. But if someone's feet are smelly, so the socks will be smelly too and placing those smelly feet on the ottoman will leave behind a very bad stink that will last for days unless that ottoman is cleaned.
Common decency and decorum asks that one keep their shoes on. However, if there are no Ottoman-use notices, then either or applies. Yet another useless, insignificant, 1st world issue that's posted out of boredom...imo...
An afterthought Ben, you acted by following your conscience. There is nothing wrong by being considerate of others, sadly, there are too many little arps in this world who have no conscience and therefore have no consideration for others.
Shoes on. You're not intended to sit on the ottoman, unlike a sofa, where you'd never put your shoes.
In an airport lounge, I think it far more inappropriate and offensive to remove one’s shoes. Leave your shoes on and put your feet on the ottoman.
I think - and the other answers confirm - it is cultural. In Asia, Australia/NZ, Southern Africa, Western Europe and Brazil I would take the shoes off. In North America, the rest of South America I would keep them on. Now, since you write about the Cathay (aka Asian) lounge in LHR (Western Europe) I would clearly take them off. But defiitely not in the US.
If there were a no fly list where any airline personnel could put you on the list, Ben could have been placed on the list for his ottoman behavior.
I am a retail worker at a mid-level department store, and thus of mediocre class. How I act is appreciated by no one. I am a product of multiple suburban public schools, once read a copy of US News, and think lawyers are crooks. I have been educated alongside peers from middle- and working-class society who can barely stay out of debt, let alone afford etiquette lessons.
And though I will likely never be...
I am a retail worker at a mid-level department store, and thus of mediocre class. How I act is appreciated by no one. I am a product of multiple suburban public schools, once read a copy of US News, and think lawyers are crooks. I have been educated alongside peers from middle- and working-class society who can barely stay out of debt, let alone afford etiquette lessons.
And though I will likely never be in an airport lounge, I agree with my friend Arps, Keep your darn shoes on. No one wants to look at your potentially smelly feet in public. Unless you are in a culture where taking shoes off is expected, and it’s what those around you are doing, keep them on!
I think it's perfectly okay to keep the shoes on when putting your feet on the ottoman, that's how it's expected to be used and whatever dirt you put on is not a problem since the next person will also presumably have their shoes on. Equally however I don't see a problem in taking your shoes off when using the ottoman, but you should understand that people before you probably used it with their shoes on so it may have all kinds of germs on it.
I think it’s far more inappropriate to take off your shoes in public (aside from places like Vietnam where it’s required) vs putting your shoes on a public ottoman. In someone’s home I’d agree they should be removed; in a public airport lounge shoes should stay on and furniture is purchased to be durable and withstand such use.
But then there is the ottoman in one's seat onboard.
There the appropriate behaviour is shoes off (but socks on), and people do sit on it for buddy dining!
I am pretty sure no one takes their shoes off for the ottomans at CX's HKG lounges either. If not there, then I don't think anywhere would have shoe-off etiquette.
I am an equity partner at a top grossing multinational law firm and thus the highest of the high class. How I act is model etiquette. I am a product of top NYC and New England private schools, a US News top 10 undergraduate, and a top 6 law school. I have been educated alongside peers from high society who have all been coached on appropriate manners by way of Emily Post and her influences.
...I am an equity partner at a top grossing multinational law firm and thus the highest of the high class. How I act is model etiquette. I am a product of top NYC and New England private schools, a US News top 10 undergraduate, and a top 6 law school. I have been educated alongside peers from high society who have all been coached on appropriate manners by way of Emily Post and her influences.
Please keep your shoes on in an airport lounge. Although you should avoid propping your feet up on coffee tables, an ottoman is by definition for the resting of your feet.
As a more general rule to take precedence of the foregoing: When in Rome. Do not be the only person with shoes off when everybody else has their shoes on (or vice versa) unless you are certain everybody else is in clear violation of a standard practice.
I would argue that the first paragraph of your post shows you don't actually know much about the etiquette!
I would hope the first paragraph is sarcasm. No??
I know as much about etiquette as I do about the tax aspects of corporate mergers and acquisitions for which I am paid handsomely (over $6MM/year). You do not need to take my word for it. The top firms are full of carbon copies of me. Extremely polished men and women suffuse with class, through and through. Why not, at your next social outing with such fine people, ask the question of airport lounge ottoman...
I know as much about etiquette as I do about the tax aspects of corporate mergers and acquisitions for which I am paid handsomely (over $6MM/year). You do not need to take my word for it. The top firms are full of carbon copies of me. Extremely polished men and women suffuse with class, through and through. Why not, at your next social outing with such fine people, ask the question of airport lounge ottoman etiquette and see what they say? I guarantee their answer will match mine exactly.
If you have no such people in your social circle, I am sorry to say you are a socioeconomic loser. Fortunately, you can save your progeny from the same fate. Make sure they graduate with a high GPA, ideally from a school that awards A+ grades so they count as a 4.3 instead of a 4.0. Study hard for the LSAT and get the best score you can. Try to meet your romantic partner in undergrad or law school so you don't get distracted by dating when you're an associate at your firm. Make partner (if that's your goal, you have a good shot). You may be a loser but your kids don't have to be.
Good luck!
One’s previous experience with this ‘Arps’ character was contemptuous. Upon further exposure to its rhetoric it has proved to be that of a simple individual only to be pitied.
One would be ashamed to be further associated with it and feels compelled to express one’s deepest sympathies with those who do.
To use a common phrase which it will understand …. Pimmel Kopf.
Hahaha, well said.
Never gave this too much thought but my understanding is that ottomans are supposed to be to put your feet up, not to sit. So, I keep my shoes on. And for the record I’m a stickler for being considerate and following etiquette.
Last month at PHL Amex lounge, there was a frequent announcement to not take off shoes while resting legs on the furniture. I guess that became a norm.
Is this a joke? Who would ever even think to take their shoes off in an airport lounge?
Me, when I take a shower.
ChatGPT thoughts on the topic:
It’s generally good etiquette to keep your shoes on when using an airport lounge, especially when placing your feet on an ottoman. Lounges are shared spaces, and removing your shoes can be seen as unhygienic or inconsiderate to others.
However, if you’re in a more private or relaxed setting within the lounge and your socks are clean, some people do remove their shoes discreetly. Just be mindful of the...
ChatGPT thoughts on the topic:
It’s generally good etiquette to keep your shoes on when using an airport lounge, especially when placing your feet on an ottoman. Lounges are shared spaces, and removing your shoes can be seen as unhygienic or inconsiderate to others.
However, if you’re in a more private or relaxed setting within the lounge and your socks are clean, some people do remove their shoes discreetly. Just be mindful of the environment and those around you. If in doubt, observing what others are doing can be a good guide.
I think you are overthinking this… At the end of the day, airport lounges are simply public spaces. Most people aren’t removing their shoes in public.
If you are entering a private home, sure. Maybe even if you are entering a restaurant where people are expected to remove shoes. But you are in an airport lounges, which is simply in public. Even in areas of the world where removing your shoes in certain areas...
I think you are overthinking this… At the end of the day, airport lounges are simply public spaces. Most people aren’t removing their shoes in public.
If you are entering a private home, sure. Maybe even if you are entering a restaurant where people are expected to remove shoes. But you are in an airport lounges, which is simply in public. Even in areas of the world where removing your shoes in certain areas is commonplace, most people aren’t going to remove their shoes in public.
Showering, wearing clean socks, etc, it’s all overkill. You are in public. Keep your shoes on, order your food and drink, and enjoy.
I been there and I take my shoes off. But then again my feet don’t smell. I’m not sure if that’s a self conscious thing of people or they just don’t bother since they are only there a bit. I don’t think either way is wrong.
It’s public furniture, not that different from the floor (inside) or maybe a picnic table (outside). I would say to leave your shoes on. And always on when you’re on a flight. The floor of a jet is the same as a public floor or the ground. Whether to take your shoes off in someone’s house is culturally variable. Some people see the soles of shoes as very dirty (so shoes off). Yet other see...
It’s public furniture, not that different from the floor (inside) or maybe a picnic table (outside). I would say to leave your shoes on. And always on when you’re on a flight. The floor of a jet is the same as a public floor or the ground. Whether to take your shoes off in someone’s house is culturally variable. Some people see the soles of shoes as very dirty (so shoes off). Yet other see socks or barefoot inside as a family-only practice (so shoes on unless you’re a family member). Accept the variation and worry about greater things.
You should wear the airline slippers on the Ottoman.
Especially if one has the red ones from Royal Air Maroc!
You don't remove shoes to put your feet up in an airport lounge, because you don't take off your shoes in an airport lounge.
Ben, I think you can take your shoes off and not be worried about other peoples opinions here so long as the lounge doesn’t have a policy against it. I would do it myself.
1. You are traveling on an international airline in LHR with so many diverse cultures around you, and so the pressure to conform to one standard should be very low imo. Now of course if you were in a country...
Ben, I think you can take your shoes off and not be worried about other peoples opinions here so long as the lounge doesn’t have a policy against it. I would do it myself.
1. You are traveling on an international airline in LHR with so many diverse cultures around you, and so the pressure to conform to one standard should be very low imo. Now of course if you were in a country where it was understood to be a major violation, my advice would be to be respectful…
2. And just as equally important, you are in a FIRST class lounge, and i truly believe this gives you far more latitude to comfortably and confidently do what you find most comfortable to you and it’s OK! It’s first class, not business, and you paid for the ability to be extremely comfortable, just as you are (with some culturally universal limitations of course). Again, I myself do as a preach when flying international first, so at minimum you’re not the only one ;)
Ok Ben, I’ll put my head above the parapet to be blown away by the bigoted few.
Firstly, in one’s own home I believe that it should be shoes definitely off. In someone else’s home one should ask one’s host.
Now in public places, it is my opinion, that it is preferred to keep one’s shoes firmly on.
Yeah, that’s essentially my mindset too.
But you certainly did nothing wrong, Ben.
"I had a fresh pair of socks on, and I had just showered a couple of hours earlier".
Good for you, but I think that's probably not the case for most lounge guests? Maybe they've come off a few-hour flight from somewhere in Europe and are waiting for their connecting long haul. If everyone took their shoes off, we'd be reading a blog complaint about all the shoeless smelly feet.
These are leather, easier to...
"I had a fresh pair of socks on, and I had just showered a couple of hours earlier".
Good for you, but I think that's probably not the case for most lounge guests? Maybe they've come off a few-hour flight from somewhere in Europe and are waiting for their connecting long haul. If everyone took their shoes off, we'd be reading a blog complaint about all the shoeless smelly feet.
These are leather, easier to clean that cloth upholstery. As long as you're not barefoot, why do you care of the prior guest had shoes where you have your socked feet?
Oh, shoes upon an ottoman (where shoes are allowed in a room ) is fine. And remember this allowance only extends to the ottoman!
I love the Cathay First lounge at Heathrow! In particular, the dining room is a wonderfully intimate scaled-down version of what you get in the Pier first lounge at HKG.
I'm going to disagree with you on the shoes. I consider airport lounge etiquette to be largely similar to an upscale restaurant or a hotel lobby. I can't think of any circumstance in which it would be appropriate to remove your shoes and just wear socks in either of those locations.
There's no circumstance where you'd put your feet on the furniture in an upscale restaurant in the first place, so you can't deduce anything from that comparison.
Hi it's very simple for most Asians.
as the ottoman has had dirty shoes put on it (since everyone doesn't take off their shoes as you observed), I would not take off my shoes to put my clean socks on the ottoman thereby soiling my socks.
100% this. It's why many of us also have "outside clothes" and "inside clothes", and nothing makes us more upset than someone laying/sitting on our bed with their "outside clothes" on :)
That’s a good common sense take too. I agree.
Ottomans are, to me, an exception to the no shoes on furniture rule. They are designed for feet, and in most cultures, we don’t take our shoes off in public. Think of them as large plush footstools.
Definitely shoes off is the right move. Especially the CX lounge is like a home. When you go into a friend’s home, you offer to remove your shoes right (especially in Asia). And you definitely don’t put street shoes on a friend’s ottoman.
@David Yes, but in Asia you take your shoes off at the door and you are offered slippers so then with your analogy your shoes should be taken off at the door of the lounge (maybe they can provide lockers for your shoes) and give you slippers for the lounge.