Justin Brownjohn, a senior manager at RMIT's Aviation Academy, has advocated for requiring passengers to wear shoes on airplanes, citing safety and courtesy concerns.
His statement follows an incident reported by passenger Justin Fok, who described an uncomfortable experience during a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Brisbane. Fok stated that an elderly woman seated next to him placed her bare feet against his thigh and watched TikTok videos without headphones for the duration of the flight. He said he did not confront her due to fatigue.
"Bare feet pose a safety risk during takeoff and landing," Brownjohn argued, noting that these are high-risk phases where evacuation may be necessary. He pointed out that some Asian airlines already mandate footwear during these phases.
Virgin Australia requires shoes when boarding and disembarking but does not enforce wearing them while seated, except for emergency exit rows. The airline stated that guests can notify crew of discomfort and that the airline has policies for managing disruptive behavior. Virgin Australia also encourages headphone use for audio or video playback.