Sitting in the VA lounge in Adelaide right now before a business class flight to Brisbane wearing thongs, t-shirt and jeans. My footwear isn’t changing my behaviour in the lounge or in row 1.
From a “safety” point of view the risk is no higher in the lounge than the rest of the airport so if you just want to be pretentious maybe suggest to Virgin Australia that I shouldn’t be allowed to fly business or have status with my dreadlocks either.
Taking this personally? Your specific example is insufficient data to draw a generalisable conclusion. Oh, and congrats on row 1 (now who’s pretentious?) Personally I loathe row 1; too much noise from the galley.
Sitting in the VA lounge in Adelaide right now before a business class flight to Brisbane wearing thongs, t-shirt and jeans. My footwear isn’t changing my behaviour in the lounge or in row 1.
From a “safety” point of view the risk is no higher in the lounge than the rest of the airport so if you just want to be pretentious maybe suggest to Virgin Australia that I shouldn’t be allowed to fly business or have status with my dreadlocks either.
Taking this personally? Your specific example is insufficient data to draw a generalisable conclusion. Oh, and congrats on row 1 (now who’s pretentious?) Personally I loathe row 1; too much noise from the galley.
A little personally I guess yes. Not everyone in lounges is flying between capital city’s for meetings. 90% of my flying/travel is leisure but I do have to do work from the road or sometimes just like to enjoy the amenities.
So just because I’m not wearing a blazer and tie to fly on a plane shouldn’t exclude me from the lounge. In winter I’m probably dressed much more to the smart end of the smart casual dress code but yesterday flying home from a surf trip into 38 degree Brisbane I’m at the casual end of the scale.
Where do you draw the line? I saw people enter the Melb lounge the other day in what basically amounted to thongs. These ones had slighty thicker straps and a designer label on them which apparently made them ok for entry.
Perhaps anything over the $2 mark, enetering Designer statosphere.
I'm still recovering from the Great Thong Wars of 2016 and 2017 over at AFF, I'm not sure if I'm ready for the Great Thong Wars of 2018 to start so early in the year!
I think we have to be reasonable about this, but I agree thongs and other such inappropriate attire (such as singlets, work shorts and the like) should be banned through the imposition of a dress code or dress standard.
It is common place for restaurants and other such establishments to impose some dress standards on patrons. Even quite humble restaurants and bars will impose such standards. I see absolutely no reason why airline lounges, which people by and large either pay (directly or through patronage) to attend, should not follow suit.
In my more limited experience flying VA, this is definitely a problem which affects their lounges much more than the QF equivalents. I hate to be elitist, but I suspect this still speaks to the sort of people that prefer to fly VA - leisure travellers, younger people and more non-corporates.
In some countries thongs are akin to a g string so our international readers may need clarity.
Fair point, well made. For any of our international readers, a “thong” goes on your foot. It is a akin to a sandal or a flip flop. Best left on the beach and not on an aircraft!
I think if airlines want to set some standards for their lounges they have every right and should do so. Lounges are a perk not a right, so if they say no thongs go with it or sit at McDonald's in the food court.
People wearing thongs anywhere other than the beach or putting out the garbage are just being dress lazy. They were never designed or intended as footwear in restaurants, supermarkets, clubs or business class lounges. Giving the old "it's our Australian casual lifestyle" is rubbish. Australians, in particular men, have become the laziest dressers on the planet. Thongs, stubbies, boardies, singlets, etc are being worn by the blokes into places that they should never be seen in.
JJJJJJJ
JJJJJJJ
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 18 Feb 2017
Total posts 60
Taking this personally? Your specific example is insufficient data to draw a generalisable conclusion. Oh, and congrats on row 1 (now who’s pretentious?) Personally I loathe row 1; too much noise from the galley.
deegee93
deegee93
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 27 Jan 2017
Total posts 37
A little personally I guess yes. Not everyone in lounges is flying between capital city’s for meetings. 90% of my flying/travel is leisure but I do have to do work from the road or sometimes just like to enjoy the amenities.
sgb
sgb
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
Member since 30 Nov 2015
Total posts 419
Perhaps anything over the $2 mark, enetering Designer statosphere.
cross40
cross40
Member since 09 May 2016
Total posts 9
Casual is OK but there is a limit. Remember accidents do happen and I would prefer to have half decent footwear to remove myself from the aircraft.
Jon W
Jon W
Member since 25 Feb 2013
Total posts 6
I'm still recovering from the Great Thong Wars of 2016 and 2017 over at AFF, I'm not sure if I'm ready for the Great Thong Wars of 2018 to start so early in the year!
brettepi
brettepi
Member since 10 Jul 2017
Total posts 86
you talking about sandals or g-strings?
Covvers
Covvers
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 19 Jan 2018
Total posts 64
I think we have to be reasonable about this, but I agree thongs and other such inappropriate attire (such as singlets, work shorts and the like) should be banned through the imposition of a dress code or dress standard.
lind26
lind26
Member since 24 Apr 2014
Total posts 231
In some countries thongs are akin to a g string so our international readers may need clarity.
Covvers
Covvers
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 19 Jan 2018
Total posts 64
Fair point, well made. For any of our international readers, a “thong” goes on your foot. It is a akin to a sandal or a flip flop. Best left on the beach and not on an aircraft!
SteveCF
SteveCF
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 15 Aug 2012
Total posts 67
I think if airlines want to set some standards for their lounges they have every right and should do so. Lounges are a perk not a right, so if they say no thongs go with it or sit at McDonald's in the food court.
Too Technical
Too Technical
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 04 Oct 2016
Total posts 19
From all the reasons I'm seeing in this thread we should just ban thongs on airports and planes altogether...
AgentGerko
AgentGerko
Member since 31 Jan 2013
Total posts 18
People wearing thongs anywhere other than the beach or putting out the garbage are just being dress lazy. They were never designed or intended as footwear in restaurants, supermarkets, clubs or business class lounges. Giving the old "it's our Australian casual lifestyle" is rubbish. Australians, in particular men, have become the laziest dressers on the planet. Thongs, stubbies, boardies, singlets, etc are being worn by the blokes into places that they should never be seen in.