Let me add a few things:
1) If you fly non-rev, you must obey the company's dress code and standards. Not only can they deny boarding to you, but they can write up the employee who provided the passes to you. I know some airlines can also suspend the employee's pass access. Is it really that hard to dress appropriately for a few hours?
2) I second the bit about folding the coat. Even if you don't put it inside your case, you should be able to neatly store it on top of your bag in most mainline aircraft.
3) Flew ORD-SNA a week ago and they ran out of overhead space very quickly. Turns out most people put their bags in sideways. Some quick adjustments all the way back and I think everyone managed to get their bags in the cabin. Learn how to stow your bags properly.
4) Keep your shoes on. Keep your shoes on. Keep your shoes on. We don't want to see your feet. And the wet floors in the lavs - that's not water. I can't tell you how many people I've seen walking in the lavs barefoot. So leave your damn shoes on.
5) I look at it this way - I don't want to end up on Passenger Shaming - so I try my best to be both presentable and anonymous. When I shop I don't want to end up on People of Wal-Mart - so while I'm not dressing up to go to Wal-Mart I don't look horrible, either.
'6) For those of you who fly with suits or sportcoats - I strongly recommend the RedOxx AirBoss. Just FYI.
Chet Coppock's Fur Coat wrote:
I will preface this with two facts:
- I am fat. 3XL.
- I probably fly more than anybody here other than C. Howitt Fealz. 34 flights already in 2017.
1. I don't own a sport coat, because guys who are a 3XL should not draw attention to the shift in color at the fattest part of their sorry body. I own suits.
2. I rarely wear a suit jacket onto a flight. Learn to fold your fucking suit jacket properly and put it in your 22" roller carryon. All wearing a suit jacket in a humid airport will do is make you sweat more and be a fucking mess when you take it off and sit next to somebody for four hours.
3. Go to REI and invest in a couple of good pairs of socks. They have socks which look fine with a suit but which are very good at odor management. And for God's sake, do not take your shoes off on the damned airplane.
4. The Caller Bobs who got kicked off the plane should have known better. "Non rev" dress standard is essentially that if you can't wear it to work at corporate HQ or on a corporate sales call, you can't wear it on the fucking plane.
5. Paradoxically, one of the reasons I fly more is because it makes things more comfortable. I get to sit in places which won't offend as many other customers, I can book the exit row at ticketing and then get upgraded about 75% of the time. Trust me, i get embarrassed when somebody sits next to me in coach. I try and minimize how much that happens through free upgrades, and when the price is right I buy up to first class.
6. If you are a fat guy who doesn't fly a lot, fly Southwest. Sit in row 17 or 18 on the aisle. I learned from experience flying them about 300 times from 2007-2013 that those are the seats with the lowest likelihood of somebody taking the middle seat. Many times the plane only had 1-3 empty seats, and inevitably one was next to my fat ass.