When does an airline passenger’s attire cross a line and become so offensive they should not be allowed to board? And who determines where that line is drawn? Those are the questions surrounding an incident involving a woman who says she missed her connecting flight because a pilot said her shirt was inappropriate.
The passenger in question tells rhrealitycheck.org she was flying home from Washington, D.C., wearing a shirt (see the full sort-of NSFW version below) that reads, “If I wanted the government in my womb, I’d fuck a senator!” — a reference to a sign held by Oklahoma state senator Judy McIntyre during a March reproductive rights rally.
The woman says she made it through security and boarded the plane — wearing a shawl — without incident. But before the flight was about to land, she says that a flight attendant asked her if she had a connecting flight. When she told the attendant that she would be connecting to another flight, the attendant said the passenger needed to speak to the pilot because the shirt was offensive.
As she was deplaning, the pilot spoke to her and said she should not have been allowed to board and that she needed to change her shirt before boarding her connecting flight.
The passenger’s luggage had already been checked so that meant she would need to buy a shirt. And when she arrived at the gate for her connecting flight, she says she learned that the pilot had called ahead to alert the gate crew to her shirt.
She wasn’t able to board that flight, but was — again with the help of her shawl — able to board a later connecting flight.
The American Airlines contract of carriage, does give the airline the right to refuse of remove passengers who “Are clothed in a manner that would cause discomfort or offense to other passengers.”
And the airline confirms to MotherJones.com that “the only reason she was asked to cover up her T-shirt was the appearance of the ‘F-word’ on the T-shirt.”
We wanted to know from you whether or not you think the shirt in question was sufficiently offensive to merit the pilot asking the passenger to change:
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I used to work for FedEx and when we would fly at a discount on other carriers there was a certain dress code we had to adhere to. I agree with the flight attendant, she shouldn’t have been allowed on board with that shirt, or a t-shirt period. We had to always dress up: Men in a dress shirt, slacks and dress shoes, women had to wear a blouse, a skirt or slacks and heels or flats. Even if you were going to Hawaii or some exotic destination we still had to dress up. They could refuse you to fly and tell you to go change if you weren’t dressed right. The reasoning is that you are representing the company and need to dress your best.
I’m not dressing up when I’m not working or wearing company attire. No way. Planes are uncomfortable now.
That said, I try to at least dress neatly. Comfy jeans, sneakers (no feet hanging out in sandals because they get cold), and either a polo or a t-shirt with nothing offensive on it. And a jacket because, you know, it’s cold. My hair is clean, and I’ve had a shower. I think that’s sufficient.
I can’t imagine taking an airline’s side on any issue, but come on. You’re in a public place. If you want to act like an idiot, you need to expect some consequences.
This is not a first amendment issue. If you think it’s OK, then you won’t mind if your first grader’s teacher is wearing that shirt in class.
Buy a shirt? Bullshit. Just turn it inside out. Problem solved.
While I find the message of that shirt hilarious, I think it was monumentally stupid of her to wear a shirt like that to an airport. Airlines can refuse to let you on board for just about any reason they feel like, so why give them an excuse?
Was the airline wrong? Well, if it’s their universal policy to refuse passage to someone who has “fuck” written prominently on their shirt, then no. The only thing that bugs me a bit is that she was allowed to board the first flight with the shawl covering her shirt and then was refused passage on the second flight because someone suddenly noticed it. They probably should have let her board if she promised to stay covered or given her a piece of duct tape to cover the word fuck.
But, all things being equal, I don’t think it was ridiculous that she wasn’t allowed to board, mostly because I think it was her fault for using bad judgement in wearing that shirt.
Whether or not she should or shouldn’t have been allowed on the plane she has certainly indicated that she lacks any sort of class.
Apparently, having the right of free speech means that everyone else has no choice but to endure crude, vulgar and tasteless t-shirts, signs and verbal ferity.
No. Only because I still wear my cannibal corpse shirts to piss off people like these. The one of the corpse eating out another corpse? Fuck it, I wear that shit to work. And that cradle of filth one where it says “Jesus is a cunt” on the back? Got mine on a hanger, I should wear it more often.
Freedom of speech is a motherfucker..It’s also a two-way street that protects everybody equally. Welcome to america, land of the free!
no and fuck em
If the only thing on this shirt that was “offensive” is the word “Fuck”….have the passenger put some duct tape over the word and let her continue with her flight.
what about yes it could be offensive BUT the airline also over reacted?
When there was a big brouhaha over a San Diego International Airport TSA employee grabbing a man’s genitals, my then GF made me a shirt that had a blue tick figure with a red “prohibited circle” over his crotch that said “If you touch my junk, I’ll have you arrested” (I still have it, so proof can be provided). I wore it through the exact same gate the incident happened. Most of the TSA staff chuckled at it, the pilot shook my hand when he saw it (Southwest Airlines).
Chiming in really late, but do people who wear t-shirts like this think anyone is endeared to their cause? I see this shirt and think she’s a crass moron who probably has no intelligent way to express her views. “I let 100% cotton speak for me!”
Plastering cars in bumper stickers and wearing provocative t-shirts to do your talking screams you are a soundbite thinker in a complicated world.
Additionally: Why do you think so highly of yourself that you believe the people on the plane or in the car behind you NEED TO KNOW your political views at any given moment?
This is no different than the airlines not letting people board while wearing pants so low that their underwear shows. People were all for them to kicked off.
I’m all for free speech. BUT with freedom comes responsibility.
If the shirt didn’t have the f-bomb, I’d have a problem with the airline on this. But that word is still considered one of the few taboo words in US culture.
At the same time though, if you’re not being offended on occasion, you’re not living in a free society either.
How come no one has addressed the anatomical inaccuracy in the statement? .
Sounds like one classy lady *sigh*
As the mother of four children, the oldest of which can read now, I wish some people would have the common decency to not wear the flippin’ F word on their T-shirts. I’ve seen T-shirts with the F word at parks, Disneyland, rollerskating rinks – it’s ridiculous.
I certainly don’t think we should have a “law” to stop people but I think private businesses should have the right to set policies against it if they deem fit. Obviously places like a bar, adult store, liquor store,etc. might would allow a shirt like this, but an airline that serves families wouldn’t want this sort of thing and they’re right.
I don’t know if anyone has stated the obvious but couldn’t she have just turned the shirt inside out? That’s what they use to make kids at my school do when they violated the dress code.
Change it to bang, and it wouldn’t be offensive.
Well as we can see here in these comments just about anything has the potential to offend someone. Not sure this should be the pilots call though. When a person who is checking in has a potentially offensive whatever, a specific and well versed employee of in the airlines policies should be summoned to make the call. Not just any employee who may or may not fully understand the policies. I also think if the airline chooses to not let a person fly they should refund the entire purchase price of the ticket. My guess is that while the the shirt is sure to offend someone, it probably was a pro-life button more than a language button. I also think the women who wore the shirt should realize that 99% of the people on board don’t care what her position on the topic is. So what is her point anyway. I also did a review and search of AA website and found nothing about a dress code.