Travelers scrolling social media on Thursday did a double-take when Tampa International Airport floated the idea of banning pajamas from the terminal.
The airport’s official account posted that after going “Crocs-free,” it had “seen enough” of sleepwear in the building. “The madness stops today. The movement starts now,” the post read. By midafternoon Eastern time, more than 5.7 million people had viewed it, and the replies quickly turned into a full-blown debate about what’s appropriate airport attire.
Beau Zimmer, a spokesperson for the airport, told The Associated Press the message was never meant to be taken seriously. He said the post reflects the playful online personality the airport has cultivated since its early days on Twitter, before the platform became X.
“Our regular social media followers just eat this stuff up,” Zimmer said. “But obviously this is all in fun, and we encourage our travelers to be comfortable.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has pushed for passengers to step up their travel style as part of a civility campaign he launched in November called “the Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.” According to the Transportation Department, the effort is “intended to jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel.”
After social media users dragged TPA, the airport clarified that the pajama “ban” was just another joke about the day’s travel fashion. The statement added, “We encourage our passengers to travel comfortably and appreciate our loyal followers who enjoy the online humor.”
