According to science-fiction writer Robert Heinlein, as described in his book Friday, one of the sure signs of a declining society is the loss of common courtesy. Good manners and, generally, how we comport ourselves when in public, well, that means a lot. Courtesy, manners, and consideration lubricate all of our social interactions.
These days, though, all too often, we seem to find ourselves in a position where we would rather find ourselves locked in a cage full of starving weasels. And again, all too often, that happens when you're sealed in an aluminum tube, moving 450 miles per hour at 35,000 feet.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, in an appearance on the Fox Business channel, has some good advice for dealing with just that.
The Golden Age of Travel starts with ALL OF US.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 20, 2025
Let’s be merry this holiday season as we fly! 🦃🌲
Dress up to go to the airport, help a stranger out, and be in a good mood.
We can bring civility back, it’s as easy as that! 🤝✈️ pic.twitter.com/CSAYe6ME31
The host, Cheryl Casone, put this to Secretary Duffy:
Something I didn't know. In 2019, 40 percent increase in in-flight outbursts by passengers. In 2021, one in five flight attendants faced physical incidents. You want to change that.
The Secretary replied:
Yes. When Donald Trump talks about the golden age of transportation, the golden age of America, the golden age in transportation truly begins with you, the traveler. Why do so few think... just look at social media. You have brawls at the baggage claim. You have passengers berating gate agents. We have unruly passengers on airplanes. People dress up like they're going to bed, when they fly. I see, I see people get on airplanes and they're having a hard time taking their luggage and getting it in the oversize... er, in the above bin. Help people out! Be nice, be courteous. So we want to push people, as we come into a really bad, busy travel season, help people out! Be in a good mood. Dress up. Bring civility back to travel. And I think everyone's experience is going to be that much better.
That's all good advice.
Read More: Watch: Sean Duffy Wrecks Katie Porter With Ideal Response to Her Attack Over Air Travel
Unfriendly Skies: Flight Carrying Congressmen to D.C. Gets Diverted Over One AWFL's Disruptive Rant
Now, here's some more (and more specific) good advice. I spent 20 years as a corporate consultant, traveling all over the planet. Believe me, I've seen it all. Here are three things, three pieces of advice, that can make everyone's travel a little less onerous.
- How we dress does matter. I don't think we'll be going back to suits and ties for men and dresses and heels for women, but at least don't show up in pajamas. I mean, for the luvva Pete, you're out in public. Dressing like you're about to crawl into the sack, well, that just isn't appropriate. This isn't just an issue on airlines, mind you; I see people in the grocery store dressed horribly, one recent incident was a horribly overweight man wearing dirty sweat pants that looked like they had been stored under a cinder block in his backyard for a year. I don't wear a suit and tie to travel, and indeed most of my formal business wear has been stored away in mothballs for a few years now. But I wear decent, clean jeans, one of my better flannel shirts (I'm an Alaskan; I always wear flannel shirts), and my wife, likewise. We aren't dressed up so much, but we're presentable.
- Don't be an oblivious idiot, or an obliviot. If you're boarding a plane, and an elderly or disabled person needs help, help them. If they need a little extra time, be patient. If they need a hand putting a bag in the overhead bin, give them a hand. And when you do, smile, and say, "Sir/Ma'am, please let me help you with that." At the very least, stay out of their way. Everyone will get on the plane in good time. This one particularly rankles me when I see people pushing past the elderly and disabled in a show of impatience, because these days I always travel with a disabled person (my wife) and often with two elderly people (my in-laws).
- While you're on the plane, don't be a nuisance. If it's an overnight flight, and you want to use your phone, tablet, or laptop, dim your screen and use your headphones. If you have to talk to a companion, keep your voice down. If you are traveling with a child, make sure you have enough stuff for that child to do to keep them from getting bored and impatient. Keep your feet out of the aisle. And show some courtesy to the flight crew, who often are called to work in difficult circumstances with difficult people.
All it takes is a little courtesy. A little respect. A little self-examination. Apply the Golden Rule. Think for a moment before speaking.
Good manners can make all of our holiday travel experiences a lot more pleasant.
