Some travelers like to take off their shoes as soon as they settle into their seat on an airplane. However, removing your shoes during a flight is not a great idea. Here’s why:

1.   Taking off your shoes on a plane is impolite

The space on an airplane is quite limited, so we should respect fellow passengers and avoid removing our shoes during the flight. Although airlines don’t prohibit you from taking off your shoes, seeing someone’s bare feet is not something everyone enjoys.

Feet are also one of the sweatiest parts of the body. You may not know this, but each foot has around 120,000 sweat glands. Where there are sweat glands, there can be unpleasant odors. Taking off your shoes may release odors, creating an uncomfortable situation for those around you.

2.   It can be hard to put your shoes back on

During the flight, with limited legroom and the inability to stretch your legs properly, you might struggle to put your shoes back on. This can be especially inconvenient when the plane is preparing to land, as you’ll need to fasten your seatbelt and sit upright, making it even harder to get your shoes on.

3.   It’s unsanitary

Airplanes aren’t as clean as you might think. The floor is an area where many people pass through, one flight after another. Staff typically only remove trash and vacuum the floors, leaving plenty of bacteria behind. Walking barefoot on the airplane floor means exposing yourself to a lot of germs.

Some passengers even walk into the restroom without wearing shoes. Though airplane restrooms might look clean, they still harbor many germs. These restrooms might only receive a quick spray of cleaner and a restock of toilet paper between flights.

4.   It’s dangerous in emergencies 

In an emergency, people can easily panic and lose focus. If many passengers have taken off their shoes, their footwear will likely be scattered all over the floor. This not only wastes time as people try to retrieve their shoes but also obstructs escape routes in situations where everyone needs to evacuate quickly.

Therefore, while wearing shoes for the entire flight may be uncomfortable, it’s an important safety precaution.

Nowadays, most airplanes don’t offer much personal space, making it more important than ever to respect each other's comfort. So, keep your feet within the allowed space and avoid taking off your shoes and propping your feet up on windows, headrests, tray tables, or other passengers' seats. If you find it too restrictive to wear shoes for the entire flight, at least wear socks or slippers to maintain basic politeness.

On long flights that last over ten hours, passengers in higher classes have more personal space and are often provided with personal amenities, including shoe bags and slippers. In this case, removing shoes won’t cause much disturbance to those around you.