Dress Code Debate: 2nd Passenger Censored

Woman Says Southwest Flight Attendant Made Her Cover Up For Flight

(AP)  A second young woman has come forward to claim that Southwest Airlines employees made her cover up on a recent flight, leading jet-setters to ask: Will my outfit fly?

Setara Qassim said a flight attendant confronted her during the trip from Tucson, Ariz., to Burbank, Calif., and asked whether she had a sweater to go over her green halter-style dress.

Qassim, 21, told KNBC-TV in Los Angeles she was forced to wrap a blanket around herself for the rest of the flight. She complained that if Southwest wants passengers to dress a certain way, it should publish a dress code.

Last week, 23-year-old Kyla Ebbert said a Southwest employee pulled her aside as she was preparing to board a plane departing San Diego for Tucson in July and told her she was dressed too provocatively to fly.

Ebbert, who took her case to NBC's "Today Show," said she was allowed on the plane after adjusting her sweater and short skirt. She said she was humiliated and felt the stares of other passengers who had overheard the verbal dressing-down.

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. acknowledged the incident involving Ebbert, but airline spokesman Chris Mainz said the company had no record that Qassim ever complained.

Messages left with Qassim at her California home were not immediately returned to The Associated Press.

Southwest - which dressed its stewardesses in hot pants and called itself "the love airline" back in the 1970s - relies on employees to decide whether a passenger's attire may offend other customers, Mainz said.

"We don't have a dress code. We rely on our employees to use common sense, good judgment and good taste," Mainz said. "It's so rare for us to have to address a customer's clothing issue."

American Airlines claims the right to refuse to carry passengers for a variety of reasons, including being drunk, barefoot, having an offensive odor or being "clothed in a manner that would cause discomfort or offense to other passengers."

"It's generally a graphic on a T-shirt that might be uncomfortable" to another passenger, said American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner. "We always find ways to mitigate it as best possible, with not allowing someone on a flight being the last option."

David Castelveter, spokesman for the Air Transport Association, the trade group of the major U.S. airlines, said he didn't know of any airline having a dress code for passengers.

Lynda White, who teaches etiquette classes and calls herself "The First Lady of Manners," said many young people have gotten lax on what to wear and how to act - possibly influenced by Hollywood stars. She recommends "business-casual" outfits for the plane because you might be seated next to a potential employer or business contact.

"If you wear provocative clothing, tattoos, or you smell of alcohol or cigarettes, who's going to believe you?" she said.

[vastr-wcon]

.
Yes, way to go Southwest. But don''t stop there. If a flight attendant doesn''t like a passenger''s haircut, that person should be removed from the flight. Same for somebody wearing unattractive shoes. Mis-matched socks - off the plane! Bad breath - get out! Untrimmed nose hair - put them in the cargo bay. Too short - handcuff them and lead ''em off the plane. Strong eyeglass prescriptions - make them wear a bag over their head. ANY supporter of Amnesty John - kick the Sh*t out of them, then throw them off the plane at 30,000 feet. And on and on and on...

That will teach those annoying people known as "paying passengers" who''s BOSS.

.

[mswolfestock]

Seems like SouthWest is shooting itself in the foot. It''s bad enough that airline flights are never on time and plane-loads of people are held hostage sitting on the runway. Now Southwest wants to tell us how to dress. They''re making Amtrak and Greyhound look pretty good by comparison.

[karutam]

Yeah, it''s time that these young people (and sometimes not so young!) learn that the rest of the world do not have to tolerate their complete disregard of what''s appropriate or NOT!. Save your non-clothes for the beach or nudist camps, not everyone is appreciative of that much skin.

[spargle]

pretty soon it''ll be abayas all around if the clothing nazis get their way. what''s next? if i complain about a man''s unbuttoned shirt, will that get him kicked off or wrapped up?

[gunownerdan]

The airlines should hire fashion police from North Korea or Iran to enforce their dress codes.
They have a lot of experience over there in those countries.

[sharncedar]

The most obscene dressing young girls tend to be quite ugly. Which is why I don''t want their unclothed nasty bits all over the seat in front of me. If you want attention, try being a person worthy of attention, rather than flaunting your lack of character and rude upbringing. Probably most of the men staring at you aren''t thinking you are hot, they are thinking how gross and lower class you look. Little clue there.

[hypnotoad72]

SharnCedar, you are absolutely right. And the same goes for males that dress like crude trash too.

VastR-WCon, you otherwise have a point, but aren''t you taking things to irrational extremes? The issue has centered over lack of clothing, not if it''s got a wrinkle or the wearer of said clothing having a nose hair out of place.

[eggy1620]

I would complain if said babe was about to sit next to me and then got booted off the plane. Flying is such a miserable experience, passengers like that can only make it more tolerable.

[rafterman1]

I believe I will need to see some photographs of these young ladies in their "offensive" attire before I can post an opinion.

[lewiston14]

It really is a shame things are coming down to this level. No matter what you ware, no matter what you do, no matter what you say somebody is not going to like something about it. I think that is where the words "up yours" started except on a plane. They hold all the cards

[lastdance2]

Young Women - Have been doing - It for Ages.
Throwing out Bait - Trying to reel in - a Young Man
Who - For a time - Allows his Emotions to :
Guide his brain ! !

Young girls - Wear makeup - That''s just - War Paint ! !
Young Girls - Out to Scalp - a Young Boys Heart ! !

It''s an Act - and a Game - That has been played out
Time after Time throughout the Ages.

It''s nice to see - The Game - Still goes on ! !
___

Southwest Airlines Employees :
Excellent expression of the : Master - Slave Mentality
Proud Endorsement of the - National Socialist (Nazi) Ideology
Champion of : Criminal Corporate (Nazi) America
Master - Slave Mentality - That''s all it is ! !

Planning an Air Commute ? ?
Make it Simple on Yourself
Boycott - Southwest Airlines ! ! !

Lastdance

[lastdance2]

RE : OLD5HITA55

If you have a problem with the way : Women Dress
take it up with your own - Psychiatrist -

Lastdance

[rushlimpdrug]

They should keep those funky Islam dressed people from boarding planes than any *** dressed bombshell.

[cyberus-2009]

I tend to agree that if an airline wants to enforce a dress code .... they should codify it and post it, but then again I think they should have to list and follow a "Reasons a Passenger can be Ejected from the Aircraft" ... as it stands now an attendant having a bad day can toss anyone off a plane for any .. or no .. real reason.

[rushlimpdrug]

Shame on these *****!
Posted by OLD5HITA55

perhaps you should display some of this shame in your post name.
OLD5HITA55?

[ohioman4]

Soooo,
Any religious attire that I THINK may cause a disruption, I, as a SWA attendant, would be able to remove the wearer from the plane?
Let''s see THAT happen!
Sounds like an enforced, fully explained policy is required. Barring that, the airlines should be held legally liable.

[wheelsup1]

I agree with eggy1620, if I am going to have to sit on the tarmac for hours on end with no relief, at least let me look at something to take my attention off the miserable, intolerable situation of no bathrooms, nothing to eat or drink, etc. Having a littel hottie walking around the cabin wouldn''t be soooo bad. And to placate the females, having a good looking guy walk up and down the aisles to help them take their minds of whatever ails them.

[rushlimpdrug]

American Airlines claims the right to refuse to carry passengers for . . . being "clothed in a manner that would cause discomfort or offense to other passengers."

Very interesting.

[drivelphobe]

The real question is why would the airlines do this? I have traveled on Southwest many times, back and forth between LA and Vegas. I have seen many beautiful young females dressed very provacatively, even with exposure of some very interesting anatomical goodies, and nothing was ever done about it. Something else is going on and I would look for some court case or such developing along the lines of the airlines'' right to toss off anyone due to offensive dress, be it risque, ethnic or religious.

[hwy71so]

If she didn''t want people to stare at her she should dress more modestly.

Never made sense to me that women will wear revealing attire then complain when men look. Just doesn''t make sense.

If they don''t want to be told to dress decently, then they should cover up. Furthermore, it can get chilly on them airliners. A sweater isn''t such a bad thing.

[glamrox]

I find it offensive that middle-easterns or muslims are able to wear the burka and other garments that cover almost their entire body, except the eyes. If we travel there we are asked to cover up out of "respect" so respect this nation and take off that stuff. It offends me and I fly American Airlines, guess I''ll be sure to mention it next time.

[rushlimpdrug]

Here''s a rule they may consider:
Passengers must speak English or fly with an interpreter ESPECIALLY if they are talking on a cell phone.
This would make more sense.

I honestly can''t recall not even one incident where a plane crashed due to the pilot looking at a passangers boobbs in his rearview mirror.

[lewiston14]

Likley the old hack sitting in 2A (first class) that looks more dead then alive That complained.

[lewiston14]

If 2A wants to cut me a mil Ill stare at her all day. It would be painfull but ill do it. :-)

And get over it girls have been doing this for years and we look. What I did not know by law I could look for 11 seconds and only looked for 3 or 4 seconds. I want my refund on my 7 seconsd lost. I think somebody owes me three or four years. GEE

[prairiefox1]

SIMPLE!
DON''T FLY SOUTHWEST AND LET THEM TAKE THEIR RUDENESS TO THE EMPLOYMENT LINE!

[lewiston14]

Fox that is the easy out. Make them pay. Lew

[prairiefox1]

I''M A 68 YEAR OLD MALE AND IF THEY WANT TO DRESS LIKE THEY ARE A PROFESSIONAL YOU KNOW WHAT THEN YES , KEEP THEM OFF THE PLANE! IF BRITNEY GETS ON JUST DO ME A FAVOR! (WEAR PANTIES) !
PEOPLE LIKE ME KNOW THE FEMALE ANATOMY AND DON''T NEED TO BE REMINDED OF IT!
TO ALL WHO DRESS TOO REVEALING , CAN YOU SAY "DECENT "?

[drivelphobe]

prairiefox1.....

These women weren''t dressed in anything that isn''t seen on thousands of women everywhere. Nothing was risque. They looked fine.

I can imagine why you don''t want to be reminded of the female body. You no longer have access and maybe never did. You sound like an old fuddy-duddy. Or maybe you want to be reminded of the bodies of men?

[rushlimpdrug]

Posted by prairiefox1 -
Sorry old man but the cut off for flying southwest is 68 - you can''t do 69 on any airline so your troubles are almost over.
BTW don''t tell anyone when you do turn 69 cause you may get arrested for being a dirty old man.

[lars008-2009]

Posted by prairiefox1 at 03:26 PM : Sep 14, 2007

at what age did you stop looking???

your making me worried... lol

remininds me of the guy that had a T-shirt that said...

i''m not a gynecologists...

but i''ll take a look...

[prairiefox1]

AT 22 YEARS, WHEN I MARRIED MY WIFE! AND MAY I ADD I HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL TO HER AND EVEN AFTER I LOST HER TO CANCER ONE YEAR AND TWO DAYS AGO I WILL CONTINUE TO BE FAITHFUL TILL DEATH!

[lars008-2009]

Posted by prairiefox1 at 03:46 PM : Sep 14, 2007

understandable...

i can be faithful and still appreciate the beauty of other flowers...

[prairiefox1]

prairiefox1.....

These women weren''''t dressed in anything that isn''''t seen on thousands of women everywhere. Nothing was risque. They looked fine.

I can imagine why you don''''t want to be reminded of the female body. You no longer have access and maybe never did. You sound like an old fuddy-duddy. Or maybe you want to be reminded of the bodies of men?

LETS FACE SEE ONE AND YOU HAVE SEEN THEM ALL UNLESS THEY ARE A FREAK! SEEING A WELL DRESSED WOMAN IS MORE OF A TURN ON, IF YOU HAVE A MALES IMAGINATION!

[prairiefox1]

I ONLY SEE THE BEAUTY IN MY WIFE, EVEN WHEN SHE IS GONE!
I AM A MAN OF HIGH MORALS AND FROM THE POSTS I HAVE READ, I MAY BE THE ONLY ONE LEFT!

[woozybarnes]

So who decides what is acceptable attire for women? The women themselves? The Catholic Church? Mormons? 2x2''s? Pat Roberton. The Taliban? Can we get burqas at The Bon now? There is a very good reason for the phrase "freedom of religion". It also means "Freedom FROM religion". Given the opportunity, how different do you think the Christian nuts would be from the Islam nuts? In fact, that has already been proven throughout the history of Christianity hasn''t it?

[rushlimpdrug]

Posted by prairiefox1
-you may consider a change of name to "foxhole".
sorry for your loss and congrats on your being "faithful", but these women are still young.
You have a choice, so don''t fly.
Let the rest of us look, cause we''re still living.

[prairiefox1]

I HAVE FALLEN IN TO THE COMPANY OF EVIL TRASH!
SO I WILL LOG OFF AND GET TO OTHER BUSINESS!
BYE!

[rushlimpdrug]

I HAVE FALLEN IN TO THE COMPANY OF EVIL TRASH!
SO I WILL LOG OFF AND GET TO OTHER BUSINESS!
BYE!
Posted by prairiefox1

and the party starts now!

[linfinster]

How can someone who is wearing a skirt up to her hoo hoo and a top with her ha ha''s hanging out, be embarrassed?? If you dress like that and can walk around not caring what people are thinking then that''s what you get when you are confronted. They should have kicked her off the flight!

[keithle1]

Why do women dress so provocatively? I can see doing it if you''re going to a nightclub/bar/party/concert.

It''s sexier to me if it''s a pretty woman with a nice body who is dressed in a classy, stylish way. Not lookie like a h-o-o-c-h-i-e. It looks like they''re trying too hard to get the attention of men. Whether that''s true or not, that''s how it comes across to me.

Another trend I have noticed is women wearing EXTREMELY tight dress slacks. Kind of thing they''d
wear to the office. But they''re just as tight as jeans. You want men checking out your *** all day
at work? Quite a few black women go for that. Don''t want to leave anything to anyone''s imagination.

So much easier to be a man.

I''m glad I''m a man.

[lawyertom1]

I love Southwest. Cheap and convenient [no pun]. But, really, SW, this is so 1930''s Bible Belt. It is good that you give your employees lots of discretion, but I have seen it abused on occasion. This is another example. Clothing, like speech, is part of free expression. Get a grip. Take a breath. Chill out.

[feelfree1]

Re: "Last week, 23-year-old Kyla Ebbert said a Southwest employee pulled her aside as she was preparing to board a plane departing San Diego for Tucson in July and told her she was dressed too provocatively to fly."

Wow!

Southwest should look to the Taliban for their employment pool. They have similar ideals!

[cantshutup]

that''s odd since i remember when i was 16 and graduated high school my parents bought me a ticket to mexico and the stewardesses let me get loaded up on scotch and coke the whole way to texas...i was stumblin drunk when i got off that plane

[rushlimpdrug]

Ah yes, ******** will now only be hiring flight attendants and staff from the Islam community.
(they have higher moral standards than do infidels)

[michellem99-2009]

Dress Code
By Barbara Ann

This reminds me of school.
There were item of dress banned.
The girls wore halter tops.
Mini skirts too short.
I did not.
My blouse and skirt below the knee.
It was what I was allowed to wear.
Mum would not allow me to dress like my peers.
So when they ask my skirt be shorter.
I wore blouse and slack.
Now I am older.
I wear jeans and T shirt.
The young today wear the baggy look.
Boys and girls of all skin colours.
Some wear so little.
Why their parents would allow.
I will never know.
I would rather they cover up.
What happened to being decently dressed.
It is alway good manners.
If there is a dress code .
To dress properly.
As I tap my way thru life.
I know styles change.
I fold my white cane up.
I hope I look right.
Yes we blind people
Know how to dress our person.

Please give Barbara Ann credit if you use this verse. Thank you.

[lastdance2]

Young Women - Have been doing - It for Ages.
Throwing out Bait - Trying to Capture - a Young Man
Who - For a time - Allows his Emotions to :
Guide his brain ! !

Young girls - Wear makeup - That''s just - War Paint ! !
Young Girls - Out to Scalp - a Young Boys Heart ! !

It''s an Act - and a Game - That has been played out
Time after Time - Throughout the Ages.

It''s nice to see - The Game - Still goes on ! !
___

Southwest Airlines Employees :
Excellent expression of the : Master - Slave Mentality
Proud Endorsement of the - National Socialist (Nazi) Ideology
Champion of : Criminal Corporate (Nazi) America
Master - Slave Mentality - That''s all it is ! !

Planning an Air Commute ? ?
Make it Simple on Yourself
Boycott - Southwest Airlines ! ! !

Lastdance

[grumpas]

My husband showed me pictures of both girls who were asked to leave due to clothing. I could not believe it! Neither one looked like she was that provocatively dressed to me. I used to wear something similar to both way back in the 60''s and no one said a word. They were both summer frocks. What''s wrong with people these days??????

[jmann27273]

Thank you Southwest for having the courage and the class to assure me that I will not have to sit next to some idiot who does not have the sense to dress appropriately in public. It is bad enough to pay the high prices for airline tickets, let alone to be abused by having to look at some low-lifes with their body parts hanging out of their clothes or be subjected to vile, low class t-shirt sayings.

[rushlimpdrug]

Thank you southweist.
Next on their list:
No passangers that are:
1. Gay;
2. Lesbian;
3. Adulters;
4. Jewish;
5. Bisexual;
6. Health risk;
7. Handicapped;
8. Fat;
9. dark hair/skin;
10.Old;

[jmann27273]

rushlimpdrug:

You obviously don''t get it. Yes, anyone from the "groups" that you listed should be asked to dress appropriately just like anyone else or expect the consequences. This is not about diversity, it is about common sense.