According to the Union-Tribune, Southwest airlines objected to an outfit worn by a 23 year-old Hooters waitress.
Southwest went so far as to ask the woman the leave the airplane. So what was she wearing?
A “white denim miniskirt, high-heel sandals, and a turquoise summer sweater over a tank top over a bra.”
My god! Alert the TSA and the local police! We can see leg!
She had a doctor’s appointment that afternoon in Tucson, where temperatures had topped 106 all week. She arrived at Lindbergh Field wearing a white denim miniskirt, high-heel sandals, and a turquoise summer sweater over a tank top over a bra.
After the plane filled, and the flight attendants began their safety spiel, Ebbert was asked to step off the plane by a customer service supervisor, identified by the airline only as “Keith.”
They walked out onto the jet bridge, where Keith told Ebbert her clothing was inappropriate and asked her to change. She explained she was flying to Tucson for only a few hours and had brought no luggage.
“I asked him what part of my outfit was offensive,” she said. “The shirt? The skirt? And he said, ‘The whole thing.’ ”Keith asked her to go home, change and take a later flight. She refused, citing her appointment. The plane was ready to leave, so Keith relented. He had her pull up her tank top a bit, pull down her skirt a bit, and return to her seat.
Ebbert says several flight attendants overheard the conversation and, after an embarrassing walk down the aisle, she took her seat and spread a blanket over her lap
We really can’t see anything obscene about this girl’s outfit (pictured above). Maybe we’re missing something, but this is America and if a girl wants to board an airplane wearing a mini skirt, a bikini top and a football helmet, she should be able to. Who cares?
Southwest declined to comment on the story, but did say that they didn’t have a dress code and that one could wear a bikini top if one wanted, so we’re assuming that “Keith” went rogue.
Southwest fashion police set no-fly zone [Union-Tribune] (Thanks, Aurora!)
(Photo:CRISSY PASCUAL / Union-Tribune)
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So let me see if I understand this: Southwest has no problem letting legions of smelly bro clones stumble on board looking like they just woke up, wearing wrinkled, dirty t-shirts, shorts that haven’t seen a laundering since March and flipflops showing off their greasy, nasty feet… but oh my god a woman in a short skirt and a tank top shows up and it’s time to break out the burqas?
Keith is a fuckwad, and I hope that one of his supervisors has had a word with him.
@killavanilla: Ironically, Hooters Air went out of business, somewhat in flames (figuratively). They got pushed out of some key airports by the majors, and the CEO of the airline threw in the towel. Too bad, they had leather seats and Hooters girls onboard (in Hooters outfits, BTW) serving wings.
I’ve seen strippers wearing more. Then again, they took it off and showed us their cookie.
I was on a flight two weeks ago where there was a girl who seemingly forgot to wear more than lingerie. That skirt was little more than a denim belt. Did anyone ask her off the plane? Nope – people probably asked for her number instead.
Her skirt is too short. *shrug* And if that’s after she pulled up her tank top… Anyway, I agree. Hopefully she was wearing underwear and pulling a Britney Spears.
Oops… NOT pulling a Britney Spears…
Does the fact that she’s a Hooters waitress make her seem more easy or less so?
C’mon now, Meghann.
And by the way, “Keith”, how’s about asking your American Taliban superiors for a less gay-sounding identity? You know, something like, “Kyle”.
this is a joke right
Southwest can also randomly decide whether customers are too fat to fly (based on no objective standard), and deny them boarding unless they pay for two seats…even if the customer can prove he/she fits into one seat. Great company, that Southwest.
Eff ‘em.
how is her outfit remotely relevant to her flying?
i had to fly next to a guy with a tank top on. and his back hair made him look like he was wearing a wool sweater underneath. he turned out to be a funny dude and we had a nice conversation but i have to tell you, i really wanted to give him a T shirt. No one stopped him from flying. i keep thinking there has to be more.
like she jumped up and flashed the passengers a la girls-gone-wild. if not, it just doesn’t make sense.
@ehnotsomuch:
Wow, an Ally McBeal reference. How are things in 1998?
But seriously, there are shades of gray between “BURKHAS FOR ALL AMERICAN TALIBAN RAAAARGH” and “Please make sure the other customers can’t see your labia.” You guys are really rushing to judge on the basis of a rather vague and one-sided story.
@catskyfire:
SWA is the only airline I’ve seen that has the balls to force oversized patrons to purchase 2 seats. All other carriers would rather make YOU (the person seated next to them) suffer than risk a confrontation.
I’d love to hear some context on this. She looks quite proper and Ann Coulter-like in the photo, but what did she look like at the time? Was she disheveled? Nipply? Wearing those exact clothes, or just a similar outfit? Were her cheeks hanging out? Could you in fact see the vajayjay?
@philipbarrett: I agree, and I respect SWA for that and many other of their other policies.
They do have a problem with regular enforcement, however. I have heard a story where a family of five, where the dad was a larger gentleman (5’11″, 380), and they bought an extra sixth seat so they could have a nice block of six seats and the dad could have some breathing room. The SWA people were apoplectic because they had overbooked and a flight attendant wanted the seat. His logic was that he’s fat and took the time and money to plan ahead and accommodate for that, and he’s not giving up the seat.
So it cuts both ways for SWA.
Do you hear that sound? That is the sound of our civil rights slowly eroding.
Everyday it is something new. California making a law that prevents people from embedding tracking devices under the skin, not being able to leave a store with out showing your receipt. And now we can’t wear what we want even when we pay for the right to be on the plane!
It’s getting pretty scary when just anyone can interfere with what wear, think, or say.
Suing doesn’t seem to make an impact on large corporations or individuals either.
How can we stop big brother from entering our homes,bodies, or bank accounts?
It’s gotten so bad, I wonder if moving to another country wouldn’t be a better choice.
America is no longer the land of the free.
*shaking head*
STOP FLYING!
Everyone says “oh no we can’t do that, what about the economy? what about vacation? (etc)” but what about your fucking dignity?
tsk Keith. that’s no way to pick up a chick!
@bourgeoisie: I agree. I’ve stopped flying for family vacations because it’s just not worth the trouble and hassle and risk that my family of five will get stranded somewhere, worse yet maybe on a tarmac with a 3-year-old. We drive now for all our domestic US vacations. It doesn’t cost much more, and we have more fun. Next year, we plan to tour Europe. Plane to Rome, then trains and coaches across Europe, then plane from UK back to the states. As little flying as we have to do to get across the pond. Eff the airlines I say, if they can’t make travel easier for families.
@sly100100: What civil rights? Comments like yours belittle and offend people who fought for real civil rights, like being able to go to the same schools as other people and eat in the same restaurants.
Again I ask- what civil right was violated?
I saw a girl in a flowy, halter babydoll shirt with white daisy dukes and black stiletto heels while stuck in a layover.
Aw, Keith’s just jealous he doesn’t look that good when he’s wearing his matching outfit.
My vote is she was going commando. Seems like there must be more to the story than this.
I did not note panties mentioned on that list of what she had on… perhaps the staff got a ‘beaver shot’ and booted her off.
@swalve: Civil rights? How about the right to express yourself? Everyone has the right to free speech, the right not to have your privacy invaded and to have a fair trial. Choosing the clothing you want to wear is a personal choice along with your hair style and shoes. Since when do we give people the right to become fashion police just because we bought a plane ticket!?
Look I wasn’t trying to offend all the people who have fought for our rights. I was pointing out that the rights that Have been fought for are slowly eroding and if we aren’t careful we wont have any left.
As says Southwest: DING!
20 bucks says “keith” is her friend and this is all one big marketing gimmick to advertise her new porn web site. She works at hooters, and dresses like a slut, which means she’s trash. Trash doth pron. I’m totally subscribing to her site.
Keith is most definitely, like all male flight attendants, a cocksucker. I’m sure if I walked aboard the plane wearing a fluorescent green spandex singlet pulled up my asscrack (I *do* wear one on the street when I go biking), he would have oogled me and perhaps even offered me to join the mile-high club with him.
Your statement “this is America” is implying (i think) because it is America she should be able to board a plane however the “majority” see fit. I am assuming you think freedom of expression applies to private businesses (which is doesn’t). They can tell her she can’t fly just because she looks ugly. It is their business! Now of course if we had a free market the means of boycotting Southwest airlines would be more effective, but nonetheless we can still choose to not fly with them for harassing their passengers and they should be ashamed for letting someone go through that. Strange story though =P
People are being taken off U.S. airplanes for speaking in Arabic languages, wearing anti-Bush T-shirts, and now for being a hot female. WTF has happened to this country?
@JeanNaimard: Enough about your fantasies, but really? Fluorescent green spandex singlet? You can lose your Gay Card for fashion crimes that are half as offensive.*
*Since, you know, we’re going with stupid steotypes and all. But I think My Gay Friends (TM) would be in agreement here. Plus, gay guys like pretty girls in slutty clothes.
Well, if the young lady had any flesh at all (read curves) to display it’d be a different story. I mean, she’s no Patricia Arquette, is she?
@JeanNaimard: Tell the truth, you have done that before and it didn’t work, right? That’s why you now plan for time in airport restrooms, right?
I’ve seen more skin in some mega-churches. Usually aging beauties who want to pretend they are still youthful.
This has probably already been said; I didn’t read all the responses… but…. seriously… it was either a gay male… or a fat female complaining. *Sigh*.
@reykjavik: I just Googled her name and all I got was a few blog mentions that cite the same news article. I typed in her name and .com as a URL, nothing. I typed in skirtsonaplane.com, still nothing. Some publicity stunt, this is! Is the bet still on?
But seriously, do people really consider this “slutty”? Sure, she’s showing a lot of leg, but it’s not particularly scandalous for a 23-yea-old living in a desert climate.
And working at Hooters is “trash”? They actually, don’t show a lot of skin, since hose is part of the required uniform. They’re tacky as hell and the flirting is transparent and borderline creepy, but there just isn’t a lot of skin exposure or suggestion of sexuality.
By the way, the 50s called and they want their curmudgeon back. They need someone to complain about deviant haircuts and loud “rock and roll” music.
When I was about 11, I took a vacation with my parents and some family friends and we used some sort of employee discount credits for my ticket. I was a child so I really don’t remember whether it was Continental or Southwest or the details of how the fare worked. When we went to retrieve our tickets, I was told my outfit – jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt – was not appropriate for my fare class and I would need to change. A relative brought me a Sunday dress from home and a pair of heels and I changed in a bathroom before they let me board.
Strange memory.
She can wear whatever she wants, but she’s crazy to wear that getup on a plane. Those things get ice cold once they’re in the air.
This coming from the airline with LUV. I remember when Southwest got started. Their stewardesses were cut Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders who wore cowboy boots, daisy duke cutoff jeans, button-up shirts tied at the breasts and a cowboy hat.
Times have certainly changed.
23, my behind. She’s older.
But there’s nothing wrong w/ what she’s wearing.
@Vicky: Up until the 70′s flying was a big deal. I remember as a little kid having to get dressed up like i was going to church whenever we flew.
Maybe the ‘Airline’ producers had big Keith pull this 23 year old (ahem) tart off the plane for a quality television moment?
Ironic that they get upset about something non-offensive yet still show
the violent and sexual tv shows and movies in flight. Consitency from
the airlines would be nice.
no whore outfit is complete without a tacky Gucci or Louis Vuitton purse.
@iflyswa: Indeed, flying used to be a big deal, but I was 11 in 1990.
All posts about the customer are entertaining…
but the real issue here is administrative/security decisions left to untrained/unqualified personnel. The same patchwork of experiences at TSA checkpoints mirrors the treatment of this customer on this flight by the airline’s rep.
Whether government or corporate, if you’re going to empower employees you should being doing so in a way that allows them to IMPROVE SERVICE. If not, you better pick the right people and give them the right training or reap the backlash.
Brave new world of flight notwithstanding, this is not the Southwest Airlines that I know.
I liked this country a lot better when it was still America. Back then, we used measurement, observation, science, mathematics, logic, and reason to further the interests of Americans and mankind.
Now, in the former American republic, the most important human accomplishments have been discarded and replaced with a “this is the post-911 era” auot-reply. Tens of thousands of years of human progress automatically set aside.
Expect more of this sort of bizarre behavior from the authoritarian heart of the Vagina Police.
Now that we got the gay jokes out of the way, stuff like this is really scary.
Since, as someone pointed out above, the air hosts and hostesses have the power to sick the TSA on you and it’s your word against theirs, situations like these become very tense. I understand that as a private business Southwest can tell you they don’t like your face and to get off the plane, but I feel like Southwest’s rights as a private company should be limited given the power the TSA has, the relationship between airline employees and the TSA, and the severity of punishments being meted out.
If she hadn’t played it very cool and lost her temper she probably would have spent a night in the county. That’s fucked up when she was basically humiliated and provoked by an airline employee.
I fly on Southwest Air for all my travel needs. I have seen much more revealing outfits than this. Not sure what the problem is. I once had to endure a flight sitting next to a man with bad body odor, other people noticed it and commented on it, but he was not removed from the plane. That was much more offensive than someones clothes. This is just stupidity.
I saw this girl on the TODAY show, very good looking… Anyway, they showed a shot of her standing and when she went to sit-down, you could see her white panties till she crossed her legs.
Maybe she was in such a hurry to catch the flight that she forgot her panties.
Hmmm, I definately would not kick her out of bed for eating crackers….
Southwest has a history of humiliating their passengers. If they have a dress code, publish it. Otherwise, tell the male employees to stop harrassing and humiliating young women. I bet this would not have happened if she had not been traveling alone.
If what youre wearing doesnt violate local decency standards or a posted dress code, it shouldnt be an issue.
LOL @ BADHATHARRY!!!