Gross Stuff People Do While Flying
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Flying is no longer glam, babe. Between the snack thieves and seat-kickers, we all lower our expectations once we hit 30,000 feet.
But there’s a special category of traveler out there — the Inflight Gross-Out Enthusiast™ — who turns a shared cabin into a biohazard zone. And while most offenses aren’t crimes, they are deeply-deeply vile.
So buckle up (and maybe double up on hand sanitizer) as we count down the mile-high misbehaviors from mildly icky to high-altitude grossitude.
1. Shoeless in the Sky ☣️
The TSA may have ditched shoe removal and it may seem liberating and comfy to you. But flight attendants view it as total cringe. Going sockless in the emergency row is unsafe and inconsiderate. Step one: keep your socks — and your respect — for takeoff at least, if not for the entire flight.
2. Feet on Fellow Passengers ⚠️
There’s “treating your seatmates like ottomans,” and then there’s spreading your bare foot across knees and tray tables. One passenger casually propped his ten-pound foot on his seatmate, turning an 11-hour flight into a disgusting nightmare.
3. Clipping Toenails at 30,000 Feet? ⚠️
Passengers removing clippings mid‑flight is reportedly the nastiest thing cabin crews have ever witnessed. Skeezed out seatmates warn online audiences — this is “straight to jail” level of gross.
4. Personal Grooming Without Shame ⚠️
Scraping toenails under your seat, flossing, or trimming nails are “personal grooming is worst behavior” in the cabin rankings.
5. Touching Each & Every Surface ☣️
Flight attendants say safety cards — biohazard! — are rarely cleaned. Tray tables and overhead bins aren’t sanitized between flights either. So, sanitize your hands before touching anything.
6. Using Lavatories Barefoot — Yuck ☣️
Stepping barefoot into — and out of! — a plane lavatory? Warning! Germ hell. And stinky! Do your fellow passengers a favor and keep your shoes on for hygiene’s sake.
7. Onboard Pedicure — Ewwwww 🚫
Actual clipper-and-trim sessions mid-air? Yep. The New York Post reported that a flight attendant found toenails scattered on the floor during landing cleanup. The TikTok video was both viral and vile — viral enough to prompt calls for legal bans on inflight grooming.
If you’re so exhausted that you need a foot spa, consider unpacking when you’re on the ground. And if you’ve ever wondered why flight attendants beg: “Be gross on your own time!”, now you know what they’re up against.
Most of the airborne ick we just covered traces back to one repeat offender — bare feet. There’s something about pressurized cabins that turns reasonable people into barefoot brutes. But good news: you don’t have to be that passenger.
Simply slide into a pair of Crocs — the holy grail of hygiene-meets-comfort at cruising altitude. Easy to slip on at security and breathable at your seat. Your fellow passengers (and flight attendants) will thank you.
Here are five stylish, flight-friendly Croc picks for every type of traveler:
- The Classic Clog – Lightweight, breathable, iconic — terrific for chill flyers who just want comfort
- The Crocs Bae Clog – For the fashion-forward traveler who wants platform height
- The LiteRide™ 360 Pacer – Sleek, sneaker-style Crocs with added support — perfect for long-haul flights or airport
- The Crush Sandal – Crocs, but make it sandals… with traction. Ideal for hot-weather travelers or island hoppers
- The Echo Clog – Bold sculpted design for the statement-maker in 22C
