Don’t wear PJs: Transportation Secretary calls for civility amid holiday air travel surge
Nov 26, 2025, 9:19 AM | Updated: 9:39 am
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy speaks alongside Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN) and U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) during a press conference on air traffic controller pay. (Photo: Eric Lee, Getty Images)
(Photo: Eric Lee, Getty Images)
AAA’s travel forecast is predicting a record number of travelers this Thanksgiving week, close to 82 million. With nearly 6 million people expected to fly, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy relayed a message for all holiday travelers boarding planes — dress “with some respect.”
“You know, whether it’s a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little bit better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better,” Duffy told FOX Business. “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport. I think that’s positive.”
Pajamas and other comfortable loungewear have become popular airport attire in recent years in an effort to stay as cozy as possible, perhaps even increasing the chances of snoozing during turbulence. But Duffy, who became the 20th U.S. secretary of transportation in January, is launching a “civility campaign” to encourage courtesy and patience during holiday travel.
“Say please and thank you to our pilots and to our flight attendants, and to dress ‘with some respect,'” Duffy said. “Bringing civility back, I think, enhances the travel experience for everybody.”
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, there has been a 400% surge in in-flight disturbances since 2019. Nearly one in five flight attendants reported experiencing a physical incident in 2021, according to FOX Business.
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Recent airplane disturbances at SEA
A 42-year-old man was sentenced to two years in prison in February after groping a woman on a flight to Seattle from California. The victim told the court that the assault “shattered the trajectory of her life” as she now has anxiety surrounding flying.
That same month, a woman announced she is suing Alaska Airlines after a man allegedly sexually assaulted her during a flight leaving Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The woman claimed the airline was negligent in the sexual assault.
A month earlier, a woman was arrested twice in a week at SEA after she attempted to sneak past security and board a Delta Air Lines flight headed to Honolulu without a ticket.
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