Air travel has changed so much since it began and as I was at an airport recently, I had a lot to think about.

What should we talk about first, attitude or mode of dress? Both have pluses and minuses.

Let’s talk attitude, (why do I have a certain song running through my mind?). They wouldn’t make TV reality shows, movies about airline travel if there weren’t any truth in it. Now, the attitude comes from both sides, employees and travelers, for some reason, the one group doesn’t seem to take the other into consideration, I’m sure not completely true all the time, just feels like it, doesn’t it?

For those of you who travel a lot, you’ve seen all kinds of attitudes at the airport, both good and bad. As I have always said, if you don’t like your job, get another one, if the one you have is the only one you could get, then have a better attitude and deal with it. It’s not my fault that you don’t like your job. I try to be pleasant to everyone I meet and sometimes it’s a tough one.

I know you’re stressed out if your flight is late, is it the desk agents fault? I don’t think so, Mother Nature is more likely to blame than the person who you are yelling at. Don’t forget that if you’re late, everyone on your flight is late as well, everyone has families to go to or places to be, chill out. Oh yeah, it doesn’t matter how high up in your frequent flyer program you are, the plane won’t get there any faster.

On the flip side, if you work for the airline, you need to have a little more sympathy for those traveling with you, you are the face of the airline and yes, you should be treated with respect, the same you want. You don’t know what kind if day that person has been having, what they are going through. You’re no better than they are and vise versa. Maybe the passengers are nervous, flying for the first time, think they want your attitude? Smile as best as you can and make them feel like they are guests in your home, a cramped, no leg room, teeny seat, tiny snacks, but your home none the less. Think your first one bedroom shoebox apartment!

In conclusion, please and thank you go a long way.

Moving on…let’s talk about dressing (all of a sudden it sounds like I’m talking about food!) One of my favorite movies, “View From The Top” stars Gwenyth Paltrow as a flight attendant for Royalty Air, it’s a great movie and shows everything from their point of view. There is a scene where Candice Bergan, who is a famous flight attendant, in that world, who talks about when people used to dress to travel. If you look at any old footage or movies, you would see men and women dressed to the nines to travel, suits, skirts, dresses, heels, pearls, hats, gloves, very formal.

Today, it’s another story, the only time you see people dressing for a flight is when they have a business meeting to go to. Ok, now that was a huge assumption, but when you fly, do you dress in a suit? Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in jeans? I know I am! I have worn a skirt once or twice to travel and it was nice, but normally, I wear jeans.

The other thing that’s tough, you never know if the flight is going to be warm, even if you have an air control, what if it’s not working. Then sitting next to the window gets very cold, so we seem to dress for the weather and in the winter it’s tough, once you get to the airport you’re sweating! I was in Chicago recently and it was -8, so I dressed for being outside, thermal top, sweater, knee high socks, overcoat, gloves, the whole package. I get to the airport and it is warm! So here I am in too many layers, which we have to carry through the airport, especially if you’re not checking a bag, just more to schlep around. So, you might wear short sleeves, you’re comfortable in the airport, freezing on the plane and outside, help!

I think it’s ok to not dress to the nines, but what about putting some thought into what you’re wearing. I’m all about being comfortable, but actual clothes might be nice, let me explain. I’m all for comfort when you travel, long skirts, shorts, sweats, running pants. There have been some articles recently about women wearing running or yoga pants to travel, why not? They’re comfortable, cover you up and the majority look like runners, I haven’t chanced it yet, I don’t quite look like a runner. Yoga pants as well, they cover, are comfortable and if you’re on a long flight, we need that.

It’s the shorty shorts and skirts, I don’t need to see certain body parts! Pajamas are another big one, if you’re over the age of 18, come on, well, 21/22, college graduate, I’ll give you that. Little kids are so cute when they wear their pjs, but that’s what they are, little kids! If, and I say if…you’re going to wear pajama bottoms (hopefully that’s all you’re wearing in terms of your jammies) they are in one piece, no holes in all the wrong places or at all, not frayed on the bottom or dragging the floor and looking nasty!

Today I saw something that was a definite first! It was a woman, I’m pretty sure younger than me, hair up in a top knot, wearing an adult’s one piece pajama, not sure if they were footed, she was wearing boots, red and blue striped with a sock monkey on the upper left! I don’t know if it was flannel, just looked fuzzy. In addition to carrying what looked like a fur coat, hopefully it was fake. Was she dressing for the frozen tundra? (I actually found a picture!)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380789566187

Bottom line is, well, I was going to say take some care in your appearance, you were able to afford the ticket, so you could afford to dress, but maybe you couldn’t, someone got the ticket for you. In any case, you should still take some care with your appearance, no one needs to see all your business.