Most people who travel have a very specific protocol for the way they dress at the airport. For some, getting dressed up in “travel chic” clothing is something they look forward to. Many have some fashionable travel outfits just ready to be worn when they’re boarding an airplane. Others go for that “totally comfy” look, sporting sweatpants and sneakers to be as comfortable as possible on the airplane.
No matter what your style is, it’s safe to say that no one wants to be judged for the way they dress on an airplane.
Whether you’re a totally comfy person or a fashionista who loves to get all dolled up for traveling, most people would agree that no one should be judged for wearing what they want while traveling.
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But, how would you feel if you were scrutinized for what you wore to the airport and told you couldn’t board your flight?
Imagine being told you couldn’t board an airplane, or even asked to get off of the airplane, due to what you are wearing — it’s something that could cause a lot of embarrassment.
This very experience happened to 22-year-old Kayla Eubanks.
Kayla posted a photo on her Twitter account saying that she was “kicked off her flight” due to her shirt being deemed “offensive.” She even shared a photo of her top, saying, ” I was told that passengers may look at me in my attire and be offended.”
Kayla said that a Southwest Airlines employee stated that their company policy prohibited flyers from wearing certain clothing styles.
The employee said passengers aren’t allowed to wear an outfit that’s considered “lewd, offensive, or obscene.” However, when Kayla inquired about the policy, the employee could not produce it. Kayla was also reportedly held at the gate for 30 minutes while the employee tried to look up the policy.
Southwest does have a dress code policy that can be found online.
The airline’s policy states , “While Southwest’s dress code is relaxed and casual, you will be expected to present a clean, well-groomed, and tasteful appearance.”
Its policy regarding “‘lewd, obscene, or patently offensive” clothing attire is found under the airline’s contract of carriage , but the policy doesn’t give specific examples of what types of clothing aren’t allowed.
The employee even got the plane’s captain involved in the incident as he was coming out of the bathroom.
The captain was not enthused to be involved in the dispute and didn’t side with the Southwest Airlines employee. Instead, he said that the employee was, “Hating on Kayla,” in a video she posted to Twitter of the interaction.
Eventually, Kayla was finally let on the plane after the captain helped her out.
The captain of the flight actually gave her a shirt to borrow and wear on the flight. This was only after she was, “removed from the flight the first time.” During the flight, Kayla removed the captain’s shirt and was told that she would have to speak to a supervisor upon landing.
The supervisors did speak to her and Kayla was unhappy with the way they approached the entire situation.
The two Southwest Airlines supervisors spoke to her in a way that upset Kayla, who shared a video of their conversation on Twitter in the thread for her followers to see.
People online were on Kayla’s side, saying that that the problem wasn’t with her outfit at all — it’s with society.
One Twitter user pointed out that they were “sick and tired” of people censoring their clothing because “… men can’t maturely deal with their thoughts.” They also pointed out that if children were raised to be okay with women’s bodies, they would become adults who are not uncomfortable with them.
Others, however, disagreed and said they wouldn’t want to be on a flight with someone wearing an outfit similar to Kayla’s.
One person said that they would have been “upset” if the airline let her board wearing that kind of top on the flight, and that Kayla should be “more considerate” in her outfit choices.
After Kayla’s videos of the incident went viral, the airline apologized.
They issued Kayla a full refund and an apology as a “gesture of goodwill”.
Kayla said in an interview with Buzzfeed she hopes the airline develops a clearer dress code policy so that it isn’t left to the interpretation of individual employees.
