US transportation secretary wants more civility in air travel. Not everyone is on board

November 26, 2025

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has initiated a controversial campaign calling on airline passengers to dress more formally and behave with greater civility, drawing comparisons to air travel's "golden age" of the 1950s and 60s. The campaign comes as the nation prepares for its busiest Thanksgiving travel season in fifteen years, with government data showing unruly passenger incidents have surged 400% since 2019. However, aviation experts and social media users argue that Duffy misses the real issue: deteriorating airline conditions including cramped seating, frequent delays, minimal amenities, and understaffing have created an inherently frustrating travel environment.

Who is affected

Air travelers/passengers (experiencing frustration and cramped conditions)
Flight attendants (one in five have experienced physical incidents)
Airport staff
Airlines (facing criticism for conditions that contribute to passenger stress)
Air traffic controllers (remain short-staffed)
Pregnant women and other passengers requiring assistance
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy (facing public backlash)

What action is being taken

The Department of Transportation is running a campaign titled "The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You"
Secretary Sean Duffy is posting about the campaign on social media platform X
The DOT is recording and tracking unruly passenger incidents (13,800 since 2021)
The FAA is predicting and preparing for high Thanksgiving travel volumes

Why it matters

This matters because unruly passenger incidents have increased 400% since 2019, with 13,800 incidents recorded since 2021 and one in five flight attendants experiencing physical altercations. The debate highlights a fundamental disconnect between government messaging and passenger experience, as travelers face increasingly uncomfortable conditions including cramped seating, frequent delays, minimal amenities, and pay-for-everything business models. The controversy reveals broader questions about whether individual behavior changes or systemic improvements to airline service quality would be more effective at addressing aviation safety and civility concerns during what is expected to be the busiest travel season in 15 years.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC