Sean Duffy wants more civility in air travel. Not everyone is on board

Experts say a public service campaign is missing the mark as US airports brace for the busiest holiday season in years.

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Ahead of what's expected to be the busiest Thanksgiving travel season in 15 years, Duffy launched a campaign last week titled "The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You", in which he harked back to the 1950s and 60s to call for a return to civility and class in air travel.

But as air traffic controllers remain short-staffed and customers face frequent flight delays, both social media users and aviation experts say Duffy is missing the point.

A video advert for the Department of Transportation's campaign juxtaposes old footage of smiling airport staff and orderly passengers with modern social media videos of people starting fights on planes, putting their bare feet up on seats and engaging in other disruptive behaviour.

"Manners don't stop at the gate. Things aren't what they used to be," Duffy chimes in. "Let's bring civility and manners back. Ask yourself, are you helping a pregnant woman put her bag in the overhead bin? Are you dressing with respect?"