Is it acceptable to travel in shorts and sandals?

[sevenwonde]

Help! The friend group is split on this one and it is largely tongue in cheek

We’re off on a girls holiday soon. Half the group thinks it’s fine to travel in shorts and sandals (Birkenstocks), the other half thinks you need to look put together in the airport and dress in a nice outfit (linen, silk trousers etc), in case of an upgrade. They think the nicer you’re dressed the less likely you are to be asked to check your bag at the gate etc.

So, is it acceptable?! They’re not tiny shorts that show my bum cheeks!

I have no idea which way round your YABU and YANBU are.

This thread is hilarious! The days of dressing up for the airport ended in the 80s when all the luxury went out of airline travel. You should wear your most comfy option and only you know what that is for you. And definitely don't be worrying about what shoes are best for an emergency escape 😂,surely none would be better should you end up in the water wearing a life jacket!

Dunno why everyone thinks planes are cold. I did quite a lot of long haul flights and have to wear short sleeves because I end up boiling.

And as for thinking shorts are “unhygienic” - would people not wear shorts on a bus or a train? Or to a medical waiting room? I cannot think planes are any dirtier. I don’t understand the paranoia about germs, this wouldn’t even occur to me.

Exactly, I don't get it either. Unless you have an open wound, your skin coming into contact with a surface, however dirty it might be, is perfectly safe.

@Grammarninja

And definitely don't be worrying about what shoes are best for an emergency escape 😂,surely none would be better should you end up in the water wearing a life jacket!

Maybe, but (and I'm offering the following for info, not to cause an argument) I gather from one of those involved that being shoeless caused a few 😲😳 for a few of the passengers who evacuated onto the hot runway at Vegas when a BA aircraft had a problem and abandoned on take-off there a few years ago.....

In an emergency I really wouldn’t worry about a friction burn on an evacuation slide. Small issue compared to getting off an airplane especially when the chances of that happening are slim compared to the majority of flights where comfort is a priority.

The nubuck insole on a Birkenstock gets very grubby at the best of times. A pair that you walk all day in and can occasionally run in are unlikely to be suitable for wearing in an enclosed confined space with strangers. You might not notice it yourself but your feel will smell.

Enclosed space? Strangers?

I think that’s a really outdated old wives tale about the upgrades for those who are smartly dressed.

I wouldn’t even consider dressing up for a flight! Madness!

I find planes cold. I think many people do. It’s quite common to take a cardigan for the plane for this reason.

You take take them off and wear socks on the plane I fo

An upgrade to Mykonos courtesy of British Airways? Your friends are comical, OP.

Wear something you feel comfortable in.

The era of dressing up for the airport is long behind us. Plus, it's British Airways ... 😂

I travel in trainers, trousers and a top. Because if there was an emergency its easier to rush in trainers and if there was a fire or a emergency disembark im more protected from burns and scrapes

I fly long haul quite a lot and I find with predictable regularity the flights are cold for the first half and hot by the time we land.

I once got an upgrade wearing loungewear/pyjamas. Was heading to Canada for a wedding and had dressed appropriately to enjoy a good night's sleep. Checked in late and got upgraded. It has NOTHING to do with how you look!

I've been upgraded into first and I want dressed up but me and dh did seem quiet as we were both shattered

Not heard of anyone getting upgrades for years (without paying), but happy to be corrected!
Teenagers in my family say showing your toes in public is awful. But you can wear socks, or get the new Puma closed toe mules things, either is ok.
Me, I say wear what you want, but personally I don't like any bare skin touching seats when travelling.

Some of the comments on this thread are hilarious. Wear the shorts if that’s what you’re comfy in. Literally no airline is going to upgrade a group of 6 people, and rarely does anyone get upgraded these days even as a couple if they haven’t got airline status. What you’re wearing is totally irrelevant unless it’s offensive or basically underwear in which case you’d have a problem in any seat. Your outfit sounds lovely.

I fly BA Europe “business” ie Club Europe a fair bit. Often it’s only a few rows at the front of the plane that they convert from a three seat to a two with a table in the middle seat. So depending on the demand for that flight for business vs economy you could have as few as 12 club Europe seats on the whole flight. Realistically most flights I’ve been on have had between 5 and 9 rows of business class. There will already be people in economy who have airline status (so board in an earlier group / have been in the lounge / got all the other perks) but didn't buy a club Europe seat because the seats themselves are meh and not the thing with European business travel (very different to long haul business!). Those people will get bumped up first if there’s even any club Europe seats available.

I’d say to your friends either look out for the pre flight emails about upgrades they sometimes send if they want to fill seats or go actively looking for upgrade options within the booking, and if you want an upgrade you can pay for it. And leave you and your polka dot shorts and birks alone 😂

if you are talking upgrades you must be flying BA. Easy Jet, Tui and the likes only have 1 class.

BA Club Europe is nothing special what so ever and not worth it - paying or not paying.

wear what you want

@lollyipollim yes the business seats in all European carriers are definitely not worth it for the seats themselves. If the cost difference is minimal it might be worth it for the other perks, especially the BA business lounge if you’re going to eat and drink at the airport anyway. And you get fed and limitless drinks on the plane. Plus fast track security is really nice if the airport is busy. But the luggage allowance in economy is very generous with BA so really who needs a second hold bag for a week? And priority boarding is nice but people have that with airline status.

For me it totally depends on the price difference, sometimes from a financial point of view, if you get a good deal then it is worth it because of free food/drinks and the bit that can’t be costed per se but is the chill/convenience factor of rocking up at the airport and not having to queue for things or be around a million people.

It’s completely different to long haul business when you’re paying £££ for the seat and space so you can sleep.

Not that I have a pair of silk trousers but if I did I wouldn’t be wearing them on a grubby aircraft seat 😀

Many people get that through status anyway

Yeah I know if you’ve got status then you get fast track, lounge etc too. Although it’s a lot harder to get now that BA have changed the thresholds. OP was talking about being upgraded as someone with no airline status though so if they bought upgrades, the main perks wouldn’t be the seats themselves, it would be the other stuff.

Tell me about the BA thing. I've jumped ship and now RJ gold ( which is identical)

An upgrade at the gate would be too late for lounge, fast track etc. At check in they wouldn't see what they were wearing ( that's even if they are doing desk check in seeing as BA allows 23kg of hand luggage).

Yeah good point about check in. Unless I was dropping a bag I’d go to the self-service and even then I’d probably bag drop if I was in economy and for some reason had hold luggage. We always arrive early because I find flying stressful and want to max the lounge/chill time. But your bag drop time is restricted in economy isn’t it compared to business. If they’re flying from city there isn’t a lounge in the terminal anyway.

we’d not thought about RJ but definitely considering other options.