Passengers and Shoes??

[liquid_gold]

I had an incident recently where the Cabin Supervisor insisted that a passenger, (who was bare foot at the time) wear shoes. The CS was insistent that shoes were a requirement to board an aircraft. At the time I agreed with the CS as I couldn't come up with any references with regard to appropriate footwear. The passenger subsequently "found" a pair of shoes and was boarded with minimal delay.

It just makes me wonder if anyone knows of any references regarding requirements for appropriate footwear? Commonsense, safety and personal hygiene, bearing in mind the fact you are travelling on public transport, should dictate the need for footwear.

If you don't have any references (CAR / CAO etc.) for footwear, does your company have a policy ? And what is that policy ? :confused:

[Sheep Guts]

I know in Arhnemland its optional. And taxis usually require it in Darwin .:D :D

[Blue Hauler]

Many years ago I flew the outback in singles. I felt that footwear for pilots at least, and passengers if they could be coerced, should be sufficient to enable a walk-out in the event of a forced landing. Same for other attire – it should suit the climate over which one operates. I understand some of the crews who fly light pistons across the North Atlantic wear thermal suits in case of ditching.

With those points in mind perhaps passengers should be encouraged to wear footwear that at least permits an emergency evacuation and sprint over the adjacent landscape!

Sheepguts,

I guess our northern ‘sentinels’ would find footwear a handicap when traversing large tracts of inhospitable terrain, or even just relaxing in the bed of the Todd on Saturday night.:rolleyes:

[Bellthorpe]

I'm quite sure there's no *legal* requirement against boarding an RPT flight without shoes. But a company might have its own rules, and there's nothing wrong with that.

The Cabin Supervisor either made it up, because of his own sensibilities being affected, or repeated what has become in some places an urban myth.

You cited commonsense, safety and personal hygiene.

It's only against common sense if there's a risk of some sort. You haven't suggested any.

Safety? The safety video shows women being asked to take their shoes off in case of an emergency. Odd, wouldn't it be, if a woman had to take off shoes that the Cabin Supervisor had earlier insisted that she don.

Personal hygiene? Kids run around barefoot all day, through mud and cowpats, on buses, on the beaches, in the shopping centres, without any defineable health hazard.

No, it's a complete beat-up.

[topend3]

agreed bellthorpe,

both the major airlines in Oz would probably ask you to put shoes on before you board, but don't think there is anything in writing or any legal requirement stating you must wear shoes...

they used to mak sure you were wearing them on Greyhound buses before you got off:D :D

Airnorth up here keep a few spares of thongs for the locals to don before they board...

[ITCZ]

The Qantas POCO's in ASP and DRW have a box of cheap thongs under the desk to give to those who turn up without shoes

The AirNorth traffic desk used to have a box of thongs that the 'senior traffic officer' used to SELL to those who turn up without shoes.

:p

Ah, happy days!

[Blue Hauler]

Back in my police career in a far northern outpost, Friday night saw a large number of arrests for minor offences. By midnight there would be twenty or thirty pair of thongs heaped up in the corner of the charge room. On Saturday morning those with cash self-bailed, those without awaited the arrival of benefactors.

First out would sift through the thongs for the best pair, last out often departed with odd colour and size! :rolleyes:

[Menen]

Pretty gross manners by the passenger attempting to board without foot-wear. Full marks for the flight attendant for insisting that he wear something on his feet. If it is good enough for pubs and similar establishments such as night clubs to require a decent standard of dress then aircraft should be no different. I for one would stongly object to have some lazy bum sticking his tinea covered smelly feet under my seat.

[Bellthorpe]

As opposed to the countless people who board with shoes then take them off for the duration of the flight.

Reality check needed for Menen, I think.

[Sheep Guts]

I suppose the requirement to take off shoes prior to evacuation from a large Airliner, comes down to High Heels and the Air Slide, not being compatible.

To Menen I suggest going for an exursion to meet our Northern Traditional Land Owners , who Im afraid to say dont use Menen ,Brut , Old Spice for that matter anything let alone footwear.:rolleyes: :D

Regards
Sheep

[the wizard of auz]

Strewth Sheepy, I beleive you could confidently use "water" on that list.
I Heard about one of our nonreflective bretheren up north who was wandering around in one thong. When asked, Eh uncle, you bin lost one tong??, he replied, nah, ee right bro!, I bin pound one.

[Woomera]

I suspect that there may be a duty of care issue here.

I never passed "Tenderfoot" in Cub Scouts and my feet will automatically find anything sharp or dangerous however well hidden.

You can bet that the "shoeless" will also be the first to yell for the courts if they stub their toe on something in the aircraft and that is apart from the attendant blood and other unsanitary matter that someone is going to have to clean up.

The profile of a "shoeless" is not one that would encourage me to allow them on board without demur.

[RENURPP]

QF policy = No shoes no travel.

As ITCZ stated they keep a selection of thongs at some ports to accommodate the great "unwearers".

[TIMMEEEE]

Liquiid Gold.
Have had numerous occassions over the years whereby feral backpackers and others attempted to board my shiny aluminium tube barefoot.
One feral caucasian insisted that they never wore footwear because of religious beliefs and when told that they could not board the flight reached into their bag and guess what?
Presto - a pair of sandals (or German tourist boots to some) appeared miraculously!

As others have said litigation is the prime motivator here apart from the fact that it's digusting to say the least.

Have had smelly passengers kicked off also after numerous complaints on the ground from both other passengers and cabin crew.
I guess that bathing wasnt their strong point and the fact that the raw bacteria multiplying in their armpits was causing distress and frustration to passengers within about 3 rows who threatened to walk and actually started to hassle the offending person caused me to have the foul smelling person removed.

The smell physically made me stink and I used to fly in a part of the world where individuals never actually bathed!
It was that bad.

I actually got backup from other pax, the cabin crew, the Federal Police (who couldnt believe the stench) and the airport manager.
The round of applause from all pax when the smelly one left the aircraft hopefully was motivation to bath next time!

Blue Hauler, you were never responsible for arresting any individuals who are now Cathay Pilots whilst in Darwin were you?