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.

[photogeezer]

More offensive to me than provacatively dressed women are people in tank tops and shorts who will be pressing their flabby, pukey flesh all over you while they are putting their stuff up or, worse, sitting beside you. But, then, a lot of things in life are less than pleasant. I wouldn''t berate them; I''d juet let it go, knowing that after a couple of hours, I''m free of them.

[michellem99-2009]

I would have rather be that girls are taught to dress. I am a woman..They dressed as trash and now whine about it. They have becoming outfits that these ladies can wear. There is no need for us to dress as ******. Breasts in others faces,bare bellies,skirt way up our asre. If I dressed that way I be marched to my room to change outfits. No whining. GO..No baggy pants. I am poor and sorry ladies if you want to wear that in the home. A pretty woman is one that takes pride in her person..They get cat calls,eyes, cause they failed to wear decent things. It time they are taught to dress properly. I can''t afford to dress in the latest styles. My jeans and t shirt are plain. Cover up what you should.. The pretty face should be seen not other parts.

[sharncedar]

The first woman was a real dog, actually she looked gross, bad, her face was gross, her body was lousy except for large and gross boobs she obviously sticks in everyone''s face to try to get attention.

Hey, little dumb s*luts, why don''t you try to get attention for the quality of your character of the quality of your intellects?. What''s that? Don''t have any character or intellect? And that''s exactly why you need to dress like hookers, not even a normal hooker, but more like some heroin-addicted $15 a mouth hooker.

What you little b*imbos need is an education that the kind of people who pay attention to you because you are an easy lay or because you reveal your private parts in public are first o all gross men who are the lowest members of society and second of all they don''t respect you, they think you are trash even while they are banginb you or chatting you up. Apparently your parents didn''t have time to teach you anything about life.

[scottyusa]

The next time I fly southwest and there is a pretty girl in a mini skirt and a halter just sit her right next to me. I may even be able to stay awake for the whole fight!

[watcher269-2009]

The real reason this is being done - is so the pilots will be able to concentrate on their jobs and not the women and trying to get them to join the mile high club. Or, maybe the flight attendants are Gay and they are distracted by this and can''t do their jobs. Or, maybe the company is run by people who believe that their beliefs should be imposed on others - After all, Nudity is not Christian - War IS! Or, Maybe since America is SO FAT these days that if offends Fat women in America to see someone who isn''t and they complain......

Let people wear what they want - Or, maybe they should tell you (corporate leaders) how to behave and dress and...... Glad we live in a "Free" society!

[toolmangler-2009]

We have "first Class", "Coach" why not add "Comes as you are" at a lower rate.

[ratmonkeyx]

Oh yeah, Lynda White.. "THE FIRST LADY OF BULLS$I!"

[ratmonkeyx]

I am absolutley appalled at the behavior of Southwest Airlines and can only hope that this will impact their busininess in an already competitive market. There was nothing wrong with the clothes the women were wearing. The only thing wrong with this picture is that someone actually complained! Fortunatley I think the generation that actually would take the time and effort to complain about this will be dead soon, along with their ridiculous and irrelevant standards.
Shame on American Airlines!
Shame on the hypocrites that have the gall to complain about such things!

[michellem99-2009]

I never wore the outfits the ladies wore..They do remind of the style they donned in the early 70s..I was never ever allowed to wear that.It violated my dress code. Foster mum would march my asre by to my room and CHANGE into the right blouse and skirt that went to knee..WHAT WOULD THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT DO IF A MAN DRESSED AS A WOMAN..If they be smart they shut that piehole..I have seen males dress that way. I do feel the ladies did show too much skin..So do men as they go shirtless. I use the city bus and the guys wear their pants too low.. the crack ..The driver has have to tell them to pull their pant up. The times they are a changing.

[rushlimpdrug]

Posted by jmann27273

Common sense?
who''s common sense?
is it common sense or dictated morality?
I have seen people boarding planescoming from vacations wearing some very stupid clothes but that is their business, they are enjoying their life.
I have seen young men walking in public with their pants hanging below their azz with extensive underwear showing.
That is not common sense, yet allowed
Your common sense makes no sense.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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??????

[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

[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.

[rushlimpdrug]

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

[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

[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!

[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.