A few weeks back, United States Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched a campaign to bring back the “golden age” of air travel, by having passengers behave better. Well, here’s his latest “episode” in this campaign (thanks to @istrakhov for flagging this)…
In this post:
The green, red, and beige flags, of air travel
Sean Duffy sat down with Alison Cheperdak, introduced as an author, influencer, public speaker, and etiquette coach. The two sit down in (first class) airline seats to talk about etiquette, with the song “Like A G6” (lol?) playing at the beginning and end:
- They discuss red flags, like standing in the aisle during boarding, boarding with smelly food, taking off your shoes, playing music or making phone calls without headphones, dressing sloppily
- They discuss green flags like helping someone with their carry-on or at baggage claim, and being kind, especially toward those who aren’t from the United States, so that we can be ambassadors for our country, and “show them what a wonderful country we are, and how civil and kind and respectful we can be”
- They discuss beige flags like switching seats, reclining seats (which Duffy describes as “the greatest debate taking place in aviation history right now”), and who gets the armrests (while sitting in first class seats, ironically)
Duffy then thanks her for her contributions on behalf of America…
There’s nothing too objectionable here, I think?
I can’t say I disagree with any of the advice in the video. I mean, I find the whole premise of this to be a bit much, but the individual etiquette tips all seem fair enough.
Now, will this actually change the way people behave? You tell me, what do you guys think? Will someone watch these videos and think “oh, I didn’t realize it was considered a red flag to make phone calls on speakerphone in public?”
Or is this more about optics of making Duffy appear to be a good guy, for the people who already act decently well? Or does it just come down to Duffy’s TV background, and him liking the attention and being on camera, whether it’s doing pull-ups at DCA, or sitting in fake airplane seats to make etiquette recommendations?
Bottom line
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sat down with an etiquette coach, to discuss how passengers should behave when flying. This is part of his “golden age” of air travel campaign, intended to encourage more civility at airports and on airplanes.
The takeaway should apparently be to not stand in the aisle, don’t blast anything on speakerphone, be nice to foreigners, etc.
What do you make of Duffy’s conversation with an etiquette coach?
"We're exceptional and so we should be nice to the natives of our would-be colonies". What an attitude !!!
Being Kind to Foreigners? Is that Before Deportation or After? What if they are from "Shit Hole Countries"?
What a shocker, the libs make a political football of some well intentioned and much needed advice. But then it's hard to see what goes on in the economy cabin from the firstclass and business cabins.
It’s even harder to see from Trump’s MAGA billionaire’s private jets.
While I agree with the message....it's the messenger and the regime that he is a part of that makes me throw up in my mouth a bit.
It sounds performative. The regime has populated its top ranks with conservative TV hosts, podcasters, and similar - and all they know is shallow performance. At least Duffy isn't being blatantly vile here, but a polite NotSee is still a NotSee.
Also "being kind, especially toward those who aren’t from the United States"??? haha
That from a cabinet member of the administration that's actively doing great harm to people from other countries, shipping...
It sounds performative. The regime has populated its top ranks with conservative TV hosts, podcasters, and similar - and all they know is shallow performance. At least Duffy isn't being blatantly vile here, but a polite NotSee is still a NotSee.
Also "being kind, especially toward those who aren’t from the United States"??? haha
That from a cabinet member of the administration that's actively doing great harm to people from other countries, shipping innocents to death camps (CECOT) or renditoning them after holding them in absolutely inhumane conditions... while putting up many barriers to even visiting here (Duffy has been part of this), while enhancing xenophobia at many levels.
Hearing that is a level of hypocrisy that matches his bosses, whether it's said with a fake TV host smile or not.
This sounds fine and unobjectionable, but hard to take seriously when coming from an administration whose voting base is disproportionately made up of an overwhelming majority of those for whom being asked to mask on a plane was tantamount to treason.
How about we all just get on the plane, head straight for the cockpit and grab the lil microphone and declare ourselves in charge. We'll say we're very stable geniuses, we'll immediately blame any issues on the plane on a small group of people who look different from us, and we'll start kicking them off the plane, even the ones who have proper tickets. We'll even include a special section of first class were passengers...
How about we all just get on the plane, head straight for the cockpit and grab the lil microphone and declare ourselves in charge. We'll say we're very stable geniuses, we'll immediately blame any issues on the plane on a small group of people who look different from us, and we'll start kicking them off the plane, even the ones who have proper tickets. We'll even include a special section of first class were passengers pay extra to do "things" to other passengers with no possibility of recourse. We'll suddenly declare the catering that wasn't good before the best, and we'll say the previous captain was an autopilot, and then we'll fall asleep.
If we're taking etiquette lessons from his boss, right?
I agree with the sentiment. Now let's restart the consumer protection policies that this administration removed, and also improve the onboard experience. Especially the seats, which have become worse over the years.
Hear hear!
“About Time: Pete Buttigieg has epic sit down with Etiquette Coach”
Perhaps the American carriers should be playing an etiquette video alongside the safety video. When flying with American carriers (and people...), I consistently notice etiquette is lacking.
This is what society is today. Adults that need to be spoken to because they have the maturity of a five year old. At least it keeps a number of Youtube channels in business, posting endless airport and airline meltdowns. What I see in airports is astounding. People looking like they haven't washed either their clothes or their body. Wearing tight clothing but being morbidly obese. Loud. Acting as though finding seat 27B is a...
This is what society is today. Adults that need to be spoken to because they have the maturity of a five year old. At least it keeps a number of Youtube channels in business, posting endless airport and airline meltdowns. What I see in airports is astounding. People looking like they haven't washed either their clothes or their body. Wearing tight clothing but being morbidly obese. Loud. Acting as though finding seat 27B is a project for the mensa of the world to unearth. Entertaining but really sad.
"This is what society is today. Adults that need to be spoken to because they have the maturity of a five year old."
You're referring to your "president," right?
Exactly my thought
Willy, you are on form today and your fanboys obviously enjoy it too, yes?
Looks about white. Why are you pushing MAGA propaganda on your blog?
Zing!
There are constant stories of people behaving badly on planes. It is not a Maga issue. Sec Duffy is the govt official with responsibility for addressing it.
It is a farce - current US regime talking about etiquette. Oh the irony.
O. M. G.
Being an "ambassador" to show how "civil and kind and respectful we can be?"
LOL isn't even the half of it coming from this Nazi administration; I'd pay money to see Stephen Satan Miller be civil and kind and respectful to *anyone.*
Your TDS is out of control. This is an aviation blog, not Blue Sky
Wow, the leftist hatred shown here. Suggesting that travelers exercise some etiquette, gee how awful. Meanwhile, had a representative of the senile one (probably someone with blue hair) suggested the same, you'd have applauded it. Of course, they didn't because that would have been offensive to their vote base - many of whom feature in Spirit Airlines vids.
"Leftist hatred?"
Calling a Nazi a Nazi is hardly hatred. If it looks like a Nazi, quacks like a Nazi, and walks like a Nazi, it's a Nazi.
Q.E.D.
TravelinWilly is correct. Sure, they aren’t at literal genocide yet, but, sheesh, they’re well on their way. Give it a little time, and we’ll be there. They literally started building camps in the Everglades, yet, the crocodile tears from stogieguy7…
Stupid idiot.
Republican government talking about etiquette. What a joke and why not start with the grand troglodyte in chief himself.
'show them what a wonderful country we are'
Gonna need a bit more effort than that, chief :D
We need a Transportation Secretary, not Martha Stewart. What is accomplished here? You want passengers to quiet down and keep their shoes on? Stop preaching and start regulating.
I’m with you; time to actually serve the people, not this distraction.
My theory is that Duffy’s pearl-clutching is merely a dog whistle for the red-meat bigots who believe air travel is a luxury meant only for the straight white Christian super-rich, wearing their finest cotton, not the rest of us peasants.
“Not the rest of us peasants” …. you are certainly well aware of your lowly status, darlink …. luv you for being so honest, yes?
Fine, lovely, all sage advice. Maybe the administration should campaign for respecting others… you know… outside the airport too?
Most ‘respectful’ administration ever… /s
Also… January 6… find me 11,780 votes… the pedophilia (Epstein)… mocking that disabled reporter… calling our military service members ‘suckers and losers’… denigrating war hero John McCain… the ‘some I assume are good people’… and the ‘very fine people, both sides’… all the hateful nicknames, like Lyin’ Ted, Little Marco… the misogyny ‘blood coming from here wherever’… vilifying opponents ‘lock her up’… the xenophobia and racism… s-hole countries, Muslim ban…...
Most ‘respectful’ administration ever… /s
Also… January 6… find me 11,780 votes… the pedophilia (Epstein)… mocking that disabled reporter… calling our military service members ‘suckers and losers’… denigrating war hero John McCain… the ‘some I assume are good people’… and the ‘very fine people, both sides’… all the hateful nicknames, like Lyin’ Ted, Little Marco… the misogyny ‘blood coming from here wherever’… vilifying opponents ‘lock her up’… the xenophobia and racism… s-hole countries, Muslim ban… they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the dogs… the extrajudicial renditions to foreign gulags… murdering fisherman… I can go on and on. Wish he wouldn’t. National embarrassment and tragedy.
*her wherever.
Ok, some more: All the dehumanizing rhetoric… referring to Americans as the enemy within, and vermin, like dogs, etc. (that’s basically the closest thing to Hitler-stuff, pre-genocide, fine.) Knocking down the White House without approval to build gilded ballrooms while Americans go without healthcare. Peak ‘respect’ right there. Attacking our allies, while giving refuge to our enemies, so long as he personally gets jets and crypto grifts. (Meanwhile… Jimmy needed to give...
*her wherever.
Ok, some more: All the dehumanizing rhetoric… referring to Americans as the enemy within, and vermin, like dogs, etc. (that’s basically the closest thing to Hitler-stuff, pre-genocide, fine.) Knocking down the White House without approval to build gilded ballrooms while Americans go without healthcare. Peak ‘respect’ right there. Attacking our allies, while giving refuge to our enemies, so long as he personally gets jets and crypto grifts. (Meanwhile… Jimmy needed to give up the peanut farm… fair is fair...) Such dignified etiquette… but, a tan suit, or mom jeans, no, that’s the last straw… Need more?
My, Oh my, someone has let the organ grinders monkey out of its cage and boy does it sound rattled, yes?
The nicknames are pretty funny tho ngl. Lyin’ Ted is spot on, only surpassed by when he called DeSantis “Meatball Ron.” He was cooking with gas that day.
Crocodile tears. Fix actual issues, like properly hire, train, retain, pay, and support FAA, ATC, etc. so that EWR isn’t so frequently delayed, blaming them. Legislate actual meaningful air passenger rights, like EU261, Canada’s APPR, so we get paid when airlines screw up. Less noise, more action. C’mon man…
And, yeah, ATC, TSA, CPB, etc. should not be pawns used for the next shutdown. Like, Congress should pay the price, not those workers or passengers, if they cannot agree on budgets, or to properly fund healthcare for Americans. Instead, we get condescension on etiquette? Tone deaf. ‘Let them eat, Biscoff’ vibes. Sheesh.
The more I read of these 1990 posts, the more they sound like a website sound bite, yes?