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!

Its unlikely you will get an upgrade but its even more unlikely if there's a bigger group. Travel in your comfortable clothing

They’re not upgrading squads of women on a girls holiday, no chance.

Do they have first or business class on a short haul flight to a Greek island? Your friends are nuts.

Perfectly acceptable to travel in shorts and sandals, although your legs may get a bit cold on the plane. Most important thing is to be comfortable

I've only been upgraded three times (not on any frequent flyer programmes). Not sure of the reason the first time. Second time the plane was overbooked for economy and we hadn't been able to check in online so me and husband got upgraded (kids in economy but old enough to sit without parents. Felt a bit guilty but not much!) Third time we were due to have a very tight transfer window between connecting flights so we actually got upgraded part way through the flight to sit in business so they could whisk us off the plane quickly.

On all 3 occasions I was dressed in my usual comfy casual air travel clothes ie stretchy and with lots of pockets. I dont think it makes a difference what you wear. People in business tend to be in comfy clothes too, presumably they fly a lot and can't face restrictive smart clothes.

Sandals are sensible because you can easily slip them off in your seat and slide them back on for toilet trips.

Shorts .. I've definitely worn shorts on short hop type flights. Anything longer than 2 hours though can get chilly due to air con, so that's the reason I'd avoid them, rather than looking smart or not. Though some of the co-ord sets come with very smart looking tailored shorts. I've worn mine to the office (law firm) this week and no one batted an eyelid.

Like wearing clean knickers in case you get hit by a bus?

Huh? Why does it affect others if a few inches of someones thigh are not covered in fabric?

This thread is bonkers.

Those shorts are absolutely fine.

First, no, doubt many if anyone does that shorthaul Europe these days to pretty much anywhere.

As for London- Mykonos, According to a couple of websites I've looked at BA are certainly selling business class seats on LHR-JMK.

Last time I went on a plane in autumn I wore my skechers go walk trousers in grey. Very smart and stretch in all directions, a nice white teashirt, my baukjen cream cable jumper and some barefoot trainers.
Not only a very comfortable ensemble but looked smart too. I can also get out of the plane on the chute without having to take my shoes off. I was a stewardess for a few years and went down that chute in training a few times. You need to be warm and comfotable and have layers you can put on and take off.

As others have said, I wouldn't want any of my bare skin to be connecting with a possibly not very clean seat.

Wow has anyone on here travelled? Ever? Shorts and sandals are practically the uniform when I’ve ever flown to a hot country (and frankly it’s pretty damn hot here). And this time of year to major cities too (NY etc) - unless you are going to a location wear women are expected to cover up like an Islamic country.
People haven’t ‘dressed’ for flying for half a century. As for the ‘worst case’ scenario - believe you me what you are wearing is not going to be your issue.
Wear whatever you are comfortable in. I’d draw the line at pajamas though!

Since when has the BA lounge had paid access?

Yeah here is the business class seat on ba in Europe

When I flew on an early morning BA flight to Frankfurt the only difference between economy and business class was that we got a cold breakfast and the business class passengers got a cooked breakfast. This was a few years ago when food was included on short haul flights.

Not really, that's what is recommended from a safety perspective.

Btw OP your friends would be shocked if they ever flew in the US. You can expect half of the plane to be in their PJs.

Your friends are daft. Checking luggage is not based on clothes someone is wearing. Upgrades don’t happen for large groups either, why would they. And people in first class don’t dress fancy, they dress comfy, yes their comfy clothes probably cost more than most people’s fancy clothes, but they’re still in casual clothing.

And depending on where you are flying there may not even be first class on your plane. Smaller flights tend to just have economy and premium economy

@Boreded

The OPs said it's BA to Mykonos so assuming it's BA mainline (i.e. out of LHR) the only options are Economy and business class.

I wear shorts for hot countries. If the uk is cold then it’s jeans but change into shorts before we land. Not sure I get the issue about any bare skin touching the seat unless you never wear shorts anywhere you have to sit in public as there will always have had people sitting on them before you plus I shower whenever I get to my destination.

As for upgrades then I would expect it to go on flying status and other conditions with clothing the last. We often pay for business in long haul and most people including us look the scruffiest when boarding 😁

Having flown numerous times business class, most people are in jeans and trainers 🤷‍♂️. I wore shorts & t-shirt on way back from Australia as did the vast majority in the cabin. We showered and changed in Doha

Planes are overloaded with bacteria and you would be doing a courtesy not to add to it. I am so over people treating public transport like its their home

You won’t be getting upgraded in a most likely full flight to a short haul holiday destination. I always look like a clean and put together slob at the airport and I’ve never been treated strangely or asked to check in my luggage. No chance of an upgrade as I use low cost carriers.

I would never wear shorts on a crowded plane. I wouldnt want anyones bare legs pressed up against mine in a small space. Also your legs will be cold up there.

i Agree you definitely don’t need to look smart 🤣

my friend flys business and first class regularly and wears shorts or joggers

dressing smart is such an old fashioned concept!

When we use to fly in the 60/70s when I was a child my brother and I travelled in smart regular clothes - and our school blazers!!
I have the pictures to prove it 😬