Southwest Airlines Fashion Police Set No-Fly Zone

[DeSwiss]

Southwest fashion police set no-fly zone

SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
September 5, 2007



As the mercury climbed over 100 on Labor Day, I called Southwest Airlines with a not entirely hypothetical question: Could a young woman board a flight to Tucson today wearing a bikini top? Angelique, the agent who took my call, assured me that a young woman could. “We don't have a problem with it if she's covered up in all the right spots,” she said. “We don't have a dress code.”

Tell that to Kyla Ebbert, who was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight two months ago for wearing an outfit (above) far less revealing than a bikini top. Ebbert, a Mesa College student and Hooters waitress, was allowed to stay on the plane, but only after she put up a fight and, she says, was lectured on how to dress properly. I don't know about you, but one of my big gripes with the airlines is that they just don't take the time to dispense fashion advice any more.

Southwest explained its treatment of Ebbert in a letter to her mother, saying it could remove any passenger “whose clothing is lewd, obscene or patently offensive” to ensure the comfort of children and “adults with heightened sensitivities.” Ebbert, 23, says she was judged unfairly by the airline and humiliated by the experience. Who wouldn't be? 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.' ”

Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070905/news_1m5braun.html

*** - Southwest, I have an observation or two. If you demand the passengers wear longer skirts, then that's just gonna add more weight to the plane. If there's more weight per plane, then that more more fuel. If there's more fuel per plane, then that means less profit. Southwest, fire Keith......

[lonestarnot]

1. I don't believe this. Sorry. More to this story.

[ThomCat]

7. And what more do you think there is

that the reporter somehow missed and the airline didn't mention?
:shrug:

[lonestarnot]

15. Someone paid "Keith"

[ThomCat]

16. Huh?

You think someone paid him to single out this woman and harass her?

If that's true, I hope it comes out. That would be so outrageous that he'd almost certainly loose his job over it. I doubt the airlines would like their employees taking money and orders from someone else.

[lonestarnot]

38. Well maybe they should pay Keith more?

:shrug:

[DeSwiss]

9. The reporter's name and email address is listed at the link:

Newspaper: San Diego Union-Tribune
Reporter: Gerry Braun: [phone];
Email: [e-mail]

[whoneedstickets]

2. Keith, the flight attendant...

..it must have offended his fashion sensibility.

[DeSwiss]

10. Which Southwest Airlines is noted for, of course.... n/t

[Bluebear]

45. Keith was a supervisor, not a flight attendant, or was this some cute comment?

Male flight attendants, fashion hahaha. :eyes:

[Captain Hilts]

3. Bikini tops are not appropriate to wear on an airplane. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

6. Why not?

I mean aside from the air conditioning.

[Captain Hilts]

26. Then you have to give men similar allowances.

I don't want to sit next to a guy in a skimpy top.

[RufusTFirefly]

33. Why do you care? n/t

Frankly, I'm more alarmed when I have to sit next to a guy (or gal) who's reading Bill O'Reilly. But then, that's perfectly acceptable.

[RufusTFirefly]

11. Who made you the fashion police?

What about bare midriffs? Large breasts? Shorter than usual shorts. Trim bodies?
Where do you draw the line?

[Captain Hilts]

27. It's pretty simple: no swim suits. nt

[RufusTFirefly]

32. And I assume you can define a swimsuit

If you've been out and about any time recently, perhaps you are aware that bikini tops aren't limited to swimsuits.
Also, if I (a guy) wear supplex shorts, is that a swimsuit?

[DeSwiss]

13. Not according to Southwest Airlines....

...but the picture shows what she was wearing.

[BlackVelvet04]

25. She wasn't wearing a bikini top. n/t

[shrdlu]

4. Wasn't this the hotpants airline at one time? n/t

[DeSwiss]

14. That was back when they were avant garde....

...and they were the new kids on the block and needed the attention.

Now they're established and have become conservative apparently. Well, some have...

[Warren DeMontague]

5. The fucking anti-sex puritans and neo-puritans, at it again.

Keeping the world safe from nasty thoughts. :eyes:


I see a business opportunity, here. Fly Naked airlines.

[DeSwiss]

18. Fly Naked Airlines???

Hell, I'm game and I don't even need to go anywhere!

And the good part? You don't have to worry about terrorists. They're afraid to look at naked ladies, remember....

[Captain Hilts]

30. There's a time and place for everything.

Swim suits are not appropriate for air travel.

If folks want to wear 'em when I'm not strapped in next to them for several hours, fine by me. Hell, I don't care if they swim naked.

[Warren DeMontague]

42. Worst people I've had sitting next to me on airplanes were all guys in business suits.

Like the 350 lb Korean guy who smelled like Kimchee, fell asleep on my shoulder and kept groping me all the way to Europe.

[DeSwiss]

49. self-delete

[tabasco]

54. The girl was not wearing a swim suit.

Learn to read.

[Zodiak]

56. or learn to look

The woman is pictured wearing the outfit she was booted for. And I see nothing wrong with or and nothing that resembles a "bathing suit".

What the hell is it with people who cluelessly feel they can dispense their wisdom on us without even bothering to look at the evidence?

If you don't look at the evidence, you have no wisdom to dispense....plain and simple. A wise person looks before they leap.

[RufusTFirefly]

8. What galls me about this story -- among other things

... is that the Right is always blaming the Left for being to "politically correct."

If a woman can't travel to a place where the temperature is 106 degrees in comfortable clothing, what is that?
I imagine the problem is that some dried-up, repressed Rethug didn't like feeling aroused by someone other than his wife and decided -- just as the hordes of closeted Republicans do in a slightly different context -- to attack the people who remind them of their natural human instincts rather than freely acknowledging those instincts instead.

[DeSwiss]

20. I know what you mean....

...I guess they'd say they're different.

They're not being politically correct, but biblically correct. And you don't argue with God's fashion sense. I'm sure its in the bible somewhere.....

[ThomCat]

12. I've seen men fly in shorts and tight t-shirts.

So WTF is the problem with what she's wearing?

I'd love to know why that supervisor singled her out, and thought he had a right to harass her for how she was dressed.
x(

It seems like everyone who has been "empowered" by the need for security has become full of their own arbitrary authority. Now it's any abuse, at any time, for any imaginary reason.

[DeSwiss]

21. I hear ya....

...and its a good thing she doesn't speak Arabic.

She'd be in Gitmo now.

[Kelly Rupert]

22. Nah.

We're only able to keep that open because it's full of Scary Brown Men. You get a young, telegenic, flesh-flaunting girl in trouble? That's got CNN-outrage all over it.

[Gormy Cuss]

While I do wonder if there is more to the story, I tend to think that you hit the nail on the head.

Her outfit offended the supervisor who then flexed his post 9/11 power to push around the passengers.
That she asked what part of it was offensive and was told all of it says it all.

[Captain Hilts]

31. Agreed. The ensemble worn in the picture is fine. nt

[Kelly Rupert]

36. That ain't a post-9/11 thing

Airlines have always had the power to boot passengers for any manner of disorderly conduct, from violent drunkenness to offensive clothing. It's their airplane. They have the right to choose what to do with it.

It was certainly unwarranted in this situation--Keith is just a reactionary dick who deserves to lose his job--but it isn't a 9/11 thing.

[Gormy Cuss]

39. What change post 9/11 is they are choosing to boot passengers for any silly reason under the sun.

I flew frequently pre and post 9/11. It used to be the case that they erred in the direction of putting up with too many unruly passengers. Now there's a hair trigger response. Look at a gate agent crossed eyed and you may end up getting booted from the flight.

[Kelly Rupert]

50. I haven't seen any such tendencies.

But what do I know, I only work for an airline.

[Gormy Cuss]

58. With due respect, just because you haven't seen it on one airline doesn't mean it isn't occurring.

In my experience there is a clear difference in recent years. Flight attendants aren't putting up with anything. With gate agents, there hasn't been a noticeable change.

[Kelly Rupert]

61. Here's what's probably going on with that:

You've had a few bad experiences with cranky flight attendants, and generalized that. You found a rather obvious culprit--9/11, which is the cause for many other transportation inconveniences. Moreover, I'd agree the quality of service actually has gotten worse since 9/11.

However, 9/11 has little to do with it. Rather, I'd lay blame on the wave of bankruptcies that hit the airline industry a few years ago (and which was certainly hastened by both the post-9/11 year-long dropoff in air travel, and the doubling of fuel costs since). As a direct result of those bankruptcies (and the subsequent powerlessness of their unions during the restructuring of contracts), flight attendants are working longer, harsher schedules, are often working with insufficient crews, and have seen their wages slashed. Many of them have such low morale that they're incapable of providing the same level of customer service they used to.

So yeah, you've probably have had worse service than you had before 9/11. But unless there's a wave of paranoia over at American that I haven't heard of, I think working conditions are more to blame then 9/11.

After all, nobody realizes what a joke Homeland Security and The Terror Threat are more than airline employees. We all know the multitude of ways you could get a bomb on an airplane or a gun into the cabin without ever stepping through a security screener--and the fact that nobody has done so tells you something ;)

[Gormy Cuss]

67. True that 9/11 is probably not the only factor.

It's also true that as I stated in the previous posts, it's my anecdotal experience and I am aware of the other stressors like bankruptcies and employee givebacks that are placing additional strain on the employees, but it is markedly different now and I noticed it within a few months after 9/11 which is why I believe it was a catalyst. I'm one of those customers who flew in the first weeks after 9/11 -- at that point the crews seemed shell shocked.

I don't fly American very often, but I do fly frequently on United, the other carrier with the 9/11 loss, and observed it after 9/11 and observed a further deterioration as UAL spiraled down in bankruptcy. I've also noticed it on other large carriers. I'd add that I'm the most cooperative, least burdensome passenger type. I don't fly drunk. I don't treat the FAs like flying waiters. I don't drag all my luggage into the cabin. I listen to the safety speech, check for nearest exits, and review the card every time even though I have several of them memorized, LOL. Yet I've had FAs snarl at me for asking for a soft drink after s/he missed the row during the service. If I'm noticing this change in FA behavior than it's rather obvious.

Don't get me started on the TSA. Even as a passenger I can see gaping holes in security and too much attention focused on the dog and pony show passenger screening. Yes, it does say something that we haven't had a rash of bombs and gun incidents, doesn't it.

[midlife_mo_Jo]

55. Well,

Did she have the sweater on? Did she have undies on under that skirt? Notice her hands in her lap holding down the skirt.

Actually, I don't want to know the answer to that question! LOL

[Kelly Rupert]

17. “My daughter is young, tall, blond and beautiful,”

"and she is both envied and complimented on her appearance."

Okay, 23 is young. Five foot five isn't exactly tall. Hair looks chemical. Face...eh, must just not be my type. One outta four.

[whoneedstickets]

28. She looks much older than 23. Probably too much tanning going on...

...given that she's going to MCC, she had better preserve her physical attributes cause it all she's got.

[Kelly Rupert]

34. The tanning makes the hair look frankly ridiculous.

That shade of hair and that shade of skin do not go together in nature. Don't know why that's such a popular look.

[SayWhatYo]

40. keith, is that you? :P

[RebelOne]

51. Nothing wrong with it. It looks good to me.

Me thinks you are a female who is slightly jealous.

[Kelly Rupert]

62. Nah.

I'm a male. I just don't like the blonde-on-orange look.

[blogslut]

19. Aww geeze

What the hell is wrong with people?

[bluestateguy]

23. They should have ejected the complainer and moved the young lady to First Class

The airlines should be worrying about more important things.

[Kelly Rupert]

24. Southwest doesn't have First Class n/t

[REP]

43. Southwest Doesn't Have ANY Class

I've refused to fly Southwest for years, and I see no reason to change that.

[Bluebear]

46. Below your erudite standards are they?

[REP]

48. 'Erudite' Has Nothing To Do With Disliking Filthy Planes and Unprofessional Staff

I'm pretty sure you don't know what erudite means - it certainly is an odd word choice; I have no idea what being of great learning has to to do with preferring to fly with a better run airline with cleaner planes and better-trained staff.

[Bluebear]

68. You are positively haughty as usual.

Welcome back to my ignore list, we won't be running into each other here anymore.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

29. She got kicked off for that?

It's actually pretty tame compared to how other women her age tend to dress.

[momster]

35. 'In the Event of a Fashion Emergency...

burqas will drop from the overhead compartment. Cover up any offending flesh and breath normally through the little mesh square. Remember to cover yourself before helping others. Thank you.'

[Kelly Rupert]

37. In event of an emergency landing over water,

You may find a tasteful one-piece swimsuit under your seat cushion.

[DeSwiss]

69. PRICELESS!!! n/t

[SayWhatYo]

41. Other than the skirt being a bit short, I don't see much wrong with it...

freaking nuts...

[MichaelHarris]

44. Looks fine to me but

5 bucks says she wasn't wearing panties and someone got a shot. I've actually seen that on a plane, a woman putting luggage in the overhead and then BAMMMOOOO! I didn't complain.

[Bunny]

52. Well, if that's true and she did flash the naughty bits, then the airline may have a case.

Otherwise, I think her outfit is perfectly fine, and I can't imagine why it could be considered inappropriate.

[cgrindley]

47. Why do people have to be told how to dress?

to combine the clothing options from the op, a bikini top, a miniskirt and high heels are fine if you're dancing on a speaker, drunk off your ass in a club, but appropriate for a plane ride? nope.

[Nikki Stone1]

53. What she's wearing is the SoCal uniform for young women in the summer

Especially when it's hot as hell. As you get closer to the beach, you get a bathing suit/bikini top with that skirt, sometimes with a cover-up shirt, sometimes not. She looks totally normal to me, but I'm a Southern Californian. (I consider flying to Phoenix in the summer to be a masochistic act, so I have no first hand knowledge of how the young women in AZ dress when it gets to 107 degrees, but I'll bet it's not much different.)

What state is Keith from? I wonder if standards are different where he is from?

I also wondered if someone on the plain complained.

[xchrom]

57. like i need any more reasons not to fly southwest airlines -- but now i have one.

[madmom]

59. they should be glad she's dressed like that where could she

hide any contraband or weapons or whatever. Some people just need to get over themselves!

[Javaman]

60. What I find interesting about this story is...

southwest, I guess, is trying to clean up their image.

My sister used to work for them, for many years, and the running joke was, "what has six legs and one tooth? The front row of a Southwest flight".

They would take anyone.

My sister had to tell a guy that he had to check is hefty bag full of aluminum cans, one time. Yes, it's that bad.

Take the flight to Veges sometime and you will know what I mean. It's a zoo.

bikini top? mild. completely mild.

[distantearlywarning]

63. Assuming the pic is of the actual outfit she was wearing,

well, she's not dressed much differently than half the women on my college campus. And they look like that when the weather is 10 below and it's snowing, so at least she was dressed appropriately for the weather.

[Hawkowl]

64. No way!

There is no way in hell, this airline captain would allow any scantily clad passengers removed from my plane!

[annabanana]

65. “adults with heightened sensitivities.”

What? XRay eyes? Super hearing? What?

Ohhh. .You mean The Prudish? Why should their religion curtail my sartorial rights?

[Evoman]

66. Lol..count me in as the guy who WANTS to sit by her!

Man, I would have given ol' keith a fist in the kidneys.

And no, I wouldn't mind if a guy was underdressed either - as long as he didn't smell like balls.

[RamboLiberal]

70. Check out Southwest "Stews" back in the 70's