This week's brutal heat wave has sparked a debate online over whether you should wear shorts or pants on an airplane

• The United States is in the midst of a dangerous heatwave that's affecting air travel in some cases.
• The high temperatures have led some travelers to wonder: Is it OK to wear shorts on an airplane?
• Some say it's unsanitary, and that pants are a must. Others say it's simply too hot to wear pants.

This summer, dangerous heat has engulfed parts of the United States and areas around the globe. Earth had its hottest day earlier this month, per The Associated Press. Just this week, a Delta Airlines flight was held at the airport as temperatures climbed past 100 degrees, causing some passengers to develop heat stroke reportedly stroke.

The oppressive heat has led some travelers to wonder: Is wearing shorts acceptable on a plane?

In a Reddit thread posted Tuesday, one person said they're traveling from Mazatlán, Mexico, to Las Vegas, where the heat index is expected to reach 107 degrees Fahrenheit this week, according to The New York Times. With the dangerous heat in mind, they wondered whether "an exception to the etiquette" would apply to their trip.

In more than 200 comments, other Reddit users appeared split on the pants versus shorts debate. Those who supported the original poster argued that if it's hot, shorts are a must.

"I'm trying to get across the country, not conduct a business meeting," one person wrote. "If it's hot, I'm wearing shorts."

It's a question broached in viral TikToks and pop culture, with Larry David weighing in on the debate in a 2009 episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." While David argues that people's bare legs are "not very attractive to look at," pants supporters have another argument: hygiene.

For those who prefer pants, the thought of their bare legs touching the airplane seat is simply too gross to justify wearing shorts. 

"I just don't like my bare legs touching the chairs. If it's hot then breathable athletic joggers work well and are comfortable," another person commented. 

I was confounded by the pants or no-pants debate (I'd never really thought about what to wear on a plane other than that it has to be comfortable), so I turned to my social network. In a — very — informal poll posted to my Instagram account, I gave my followers three options: Pants, shorts, or "doesn't matter."

Of 99 respondents, 75% voted that they wear pants, 11% voted for shorts, and 14% said it doesn't matter. 

The plane's temperature is the determining factor for most people who opt for shorts. Shorts supporters said they would rather be too cold than too hot while on the flight. Pants advocates had two arguments: they get too cold on planes and don't want their skin touching germy airplane seats. 

"I have to scrub my skin raw if it touches any part of an airport/plane," one of my friends and former colleagues wrote, explaining her vote for pants and a hoodie.

Another friend and former Insider reporter had another justification for wearing pants: the possibility of getting bumped to first class.

"Never know when you need to look fly for an upgrade," he wrote.