Airline confronts passenger over cleavage

[Deleted]

news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8484651

A US airline has been forced to apologise after a staff member told a female passenger she would not be able to board a flight because her dress revealed too much cleavage.

The passenger, identified only as Avita, told news website Jezebel that she was instructed to button up her flannel shirt because her low-cut dress was "inappropriate".

Despite being told by a Southwest Airlines representative that she would not be allowed to board, Avita went onto the plane anyway.

"I didn't want to let the representative's big feelings about my breasts change the way I intended to board my flight," she said.

"And lo and behold, the plane didn't fall out of the sky...my cleavage did not interfere with the plane's ability to function properly."

Avita said her outfit was no less appropriate than a fellow passenger was wearing a shirt with an actual condom embedded into it.

Southwest has apologised and offered Avita a refund for the cost of the Las Vegas to New York ticket.

[charminglife]

I love southwest for their cheap flights, but man, every story like this always happens on their flights. Would I have worn what Avita was wearing - no - but I also am lucky not to have a large chest.

[ttt]

She should have been kicked off just for the sheer hideousness of that outfit.

[statlerwaldorf]

Jun 16, 2012 8:42:17 GMT -5 ttt said:

She should have been kicked off just for the sheer hideousness of that outfit.

It is really ugly.

[Deleted]

Jun 16, 2012 1:29:44 GMT -5 @maggie78 said:

Avita said her outfit was no less appropriate than a fellow passenger was wearing a shirt with an actual condom embedded into it.

I weep for humanity

[statlerwaldorf]

I took DD to a community Easter egg hunt and there was a guy there with a big middle finger on the front of his shirt and the back of his shirt said "fuck you." He was there with his wife and kids.

[decemberwedding07]

Jun 16, 2012 8:59:05 GMT -5 statlerwaldorf said:

I took DD to a community Easter egg hunt and there was a guy there with a big middle finger on the front of his shirt and the back of his shirt said "fuck you." He was there with his wife and kids.

Parenting gold star, right there.

[emmybean]

Now, It's tough for me to remember the 90's so well anymore, but don't most flannels button?

Or was this one just purely for decoration?

[statlerwaldorf]

[StrawberryBlondie]

Fug as though it is, I have a fundamental problem with this. I mean, it's an airplane, not a church.

[2vermont]

Clearly I will never get thrown off a plane for this.

[KateAggie]

Stacy and Clinton should do a "What Not To Wear: Airports." It could be a whole season.

But since we don't kick people off planes for horrible fashion choices, I'm not understanding the issue with her flying in this monstrosity outfit.

[ttt]

I don't really understand the policy here either. It's Southwest. Flying these days is a (marginal) step up from the Greyhound, so I don't see the need to enforce some kind of dress code. Short of someone actually being nude or wearing something obscene, why would they bother delaying the flight and causing all this mess over someone's simple lack of taste and class?

[IIOY]

Jun 16, 2012 10:34:33 GMT -5 2vermont said:

Clearly I will never get thrown off a plane for this.

LOL!!

[orangeblossom]

I've been watching On the Fly a new show on TLC that features Southwest Airlines and they seem to stop people a fair amount for "questionable" attire. I just saw one that made an Alabama Fan take off his "Go to Hell Auburn" sticker on his away to the Auburn/Alabama game because it could be offensive and start some problems.

He called the attorney he works for, who told him just to take it off. Then another time a shirt had some type of sexual wording on it and they asked him to turn it inside out. He complied with no issues.

I think some of the things they stop people for aren't really worth the ensuing argument that is likely to start. Like the lady with the cleavage, I've seen worse on the plane and just walking down the street. Is anyone really offended to the point they would even say anything to the flight crew. Probably not. It's the airline employees that are stopping people.

[summer]

I don't care at all what someone wears on an airplane. Just like I don't care what people where next to me on the uptown A train, or on the bus, or walking by on the street.

Wear a shirt with a middle finger (even with a swear word, I don't care), show cleavage, whatever. It's life. People wear stuff. If my child sees something weird on a shirt and can't read, then no biggie. If she can, then I'll explain it or answer it somehow. It's only as big a deal to her as I make of it usually anyways.

I just can't get why so many people, particularly airlines, care so much. Get me from A to B safely with my luggage intact and we're good. Worry about improving the quality of the food, finding someone to keep the bathrooms a little bit clean on long-haul flights (it's like a concert port-o-potty in there at the end), and getting all your other general shit together as an airline before you worry about what someone is wearing.

[basilosaurus]

OK, that is a lot of cleavage, and I would probably judge her for it if I saw it. I judge a lot of people, though. It makes traveling more interesting.

SWA has kicked people off for having too short skirts, right? I don't see this as much different. They have a policy, agree with it or not, and this seems like it violates it as much as a short skirt.

[vanillacourage]

Those are some ginormous boobs. Hot damn.

[marie427]

Jun 16, 2012 12:07:24 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

Stacy and Clinton should do a "What Not To Wear: Airports." It could be a whole season.

From my experiences, they could do multiple seasons of that!

I'm not offended by her boobs, so Southwest was wrong. If we kick people off planes for offensive outfits though, she'd be kicked off.

[UMaineTeach]

Anyone want to help me find the official dress code on the SW website? I haven't found any reference that sets a general code or a specific list of dos/don'ts yet.

I think it would be helpful in the planning process for customers to know what to wear before they are kicked off.

[UMaineTeach]

I found where they reserve the right to not transport you in the contract of carriage, but still no dress guidelines.

(8) Comfort and Safety. Carrier may refuse to transport, or remove from the aircraft at any point, any Passenger in any of the circumstances listed below as may be necessary for the comfort or safety of such Passenger or other Passengers and crew members:

(i) Persons whose conduct is or has been known to be disorderly, abusive, offensive, threatening, intimidating, violent, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or patently offensive.

[ttt]

Jun 16, 2012 15:56:59 GMT -5 marie427 said:

Jun 16, 2012 12:07:24 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

Stacy and Clinton should do a "What Not To Wear: Airports." It could be a whole season.

From my experiences, they could do multiple seasons of that!

Pretty sure this show would run longer than Law & Order.

I don't really have a problem with it because it was against their policy, but I don't really understand why they have this policy in the first place. Things that are obviously obscene, okay, but otherwise, don't their employees have better things to do??

[aurora]

Jun 16, 2012 17:00:53 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

I found where they reserve the right to not transport you in the contract of carriage, but still no dress guidelines.

(8) Comfort and Safety. Carrier may refuse to transport, or remove from the aircraft at any point, any Passenger in any of the circumstances listed below as may be necessary for the comfort or safety of such Passenger or other Passengers and crew members:

Persons whose conduct is or has been known to be disorderly, abusive, offensive, threatening, intimidating, violent, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or patently offensive.

Thanks for finding that wording. It's a little disturbing that the policy is written such that SWA can refuse to transport someone just for the comfort of another passenger (though I certainly agree with the safety part).