Hold onto your boarding passes, folks—Thanksgiving travel is about to break records, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is asking Americans to step up their game in the skies.
According to the New York Post, with an unprecedented 31 million passengers expected to fly and 73 million hitting the roads this holiday week, Duffy has kicked off a civility campaign to curb the chaos and bring back some old-fashioned decency amid staffing challenges and travel cuts.
A few weeks back, Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had to slash 4% of flights at major airports—some reductions hitting 10% by mid-November—due to lingering staffing shortages from a government shutdown.
During that record-breaking 43-day shutdown, air traffic controllers faced chronic understaffing, with Duffy noting a spike in retirements that raised eyebrows across the industry.
Thankfully, since Congress reopened the government, controllers and other workers have been paid, and the Trump administration even handed out $10,000 bonuses to those who didn’t miss a shift.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford reassured the public, saying, “Putting in paperwork to retire isn’t the same as leaving the job,” and emphasized that staffing is sufficient for the holiday rush.
Last week, the Transportation Department launched its civility initiative, with Duffy leading the charge to remind travelers that airports aren’t living rooms.
He’s called out passengers who kick off their shoes and prop bare feet on seats ahead, and he’s not shy about wanting folks to ditch the slippers and pajamas for something sharper.
“Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come here,” Duffy urged, taking a stand against the casual slide he sees degrading air travel etiquette (Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy).
Duffy also encouraged stronger passengers to lend a hand with heavy bags, a small gesture that could ease the stress of a packed cabin.
“If we can help someone as we get on the aircraft that might need help putting their bag in the overhead bin… stand up and offer to grab that bag,” he said, pushing for a community spirit at 30,000 feet (Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy). Let’s be honest—when 31 million people are jostling for overhead space, a little kindness goes further than a progressive lecture on personal expression ever could.
On the roads, AAA data predicts 73 million Americans will be driving this Thanksgiving, with peak congestion expected in the afternoons of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday.
At least there’s a silver lining—average gas prices are sitting at a reasonable $3.02 per gallon, which won’t break the bank for most families heading to Grandma’s house.
Still, with airports and highways tested like never before, Duffy’s plea for patience and polish isn’t just a nostalgic whim—it’s a practical nudge to keep this historic travel season from turning into a free-for-all.