Airline bans girls wearing leggings
Uhhh...
The Cut reports that Shannon Watts, who founded Moms Demand Action, started tweeting on Sunday morning about an United Airlines gate agent who wouldn't let teen girls wearing leggings onto the flight. The agent allegedly wanted them to change or put something over the leggings before they got on the plane. Yeah, this is a thing that happened.
She went on a Twitter spree, properly schooling the airline on how to act like decent human beings. United, for their part, scrambled to do damage control online, and it wasn't that great.
Here's how it all went down:
1) A @united gate agent isn't letting girls in leggings get on flight from Denver to Minneapolis because spandex is not allowed?
- Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
2) She's forcing them to change or put dresses on over leggings or they can't board. Since when does @united police women's clothing?
- Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
3) Gate agent for flt 215 at 7:55. Said she doesn't make the rules, just follows them. I guess @united not letting women wear athletic wear?
- Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
.@united They just boarded after being forced to change or put dresses on over the top of their clothing. Is this your policy?
- Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
.@united Two other girls were not allowed on flight.
- Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
@shannonrwatts In our Contract of Carriage, Rule 21, we do have the right to refuse transport for passengers who ... https://t.co/52kRVgaCyb
- United (@united) March 26, 2017
@finallydeirdre UA shall have the right to refuse passengers who are not properly clothed via our Contract of Carriage. ^FS
- United (@united) March 26, 2017
United Airlines has replied with what looks like a final tweet on their Twitter:
The passengers this morning were United pass riders who were not in compliance with our dress code policy for company benefit travel.
- United (@united) March 26, 2017
Updated 3/26 at 7:30 p.m.: In a statement released on Sunday evening, United Airlines has claimed that the passengers in question were "pass riders" whose tickets were either heavily discounted or comped in exchange for representing the United brand. As a result, they were subjected to a stricter dress code that normally doesn't apply to the company's regular travellers.
To our customers…your leggings are welcome! Learn more about our company’s pass travel privilege: https://t.co/5e3euG1H9G.
- United (@united) March 27, 2017
"One of the benefits of working for an airline is that our employees are able to travel the world," the company explained. "Even better, they can extend this privilege to a select number of what we call 'pass riders.' These are relatives or friends who also receive the benefit of free or heavily discounted air travel – on our airline as well as on airlines around the world where we have mutual agreements in place for employees and pass riders."
"When taking advantage of this benefit, all employees and pass riders are considered representatives of United," they continued. "And like most companies, we have a dress code that we ask employees and pass riders to follow. The passengers this morning were United pass riders and not in compliance with our dress code for company benefit travel. We regularly remind our employees that when they place a family member or friend on a flight for free as a standby passenger, they need to follow our dress code."
The airline then specified that for wearing leggings was allowed for regular customers.
However, the damage had clearly already been done - and many took to social media to express their outrage over how United handled the situation. Others questioned if this same strict dress code applied to men and boys, as well.
Dear @United I think most people would rather see someone in leggings instead of seeing you tell a girl what she can and cannot wear 🙈
- Hayley Williams (@HayleyWi11iams) March 27, 2017
@united maybe so, but people are reacting to your absurdly hostile & condescending tweets now, not the (incoherently explained) policy.
- Anil Dash (@anildash) March 26, 2017
@united did you apologize to the young women you body shamed?
- wloverude (@wloverude) March 27, 2017
@united Dear @United social team: can you post link to your dress code for "pass riders" so we can all see if it's fair to both genders?
- Walt Mossberg (@waltmossberg) March 26, 2017
. @united I gave you several hours to figure out how to apologize. @Delta, will you give me a status match? We're done here.
- Joshua McKenty (@jmckenty) March 26, 2017
Hey @united. I ALSO fly a lot, your airline does not meet my policy on NO WEIRD SEXUALIZATION of 10-year-old girls. No more business! ^BW pic.twitter.com/XlJZuJP4PM
- Brianna Wu (@Spacekatgal) March 26, 2017
Even a few celebrities jumped into the conversation, including Chrissy Teigen (who promised to go shirtless if she ever flew United again) and Sarah Silverman (who made it very clear she'd be changing airlines moving forward).
I have flown united before with literally no pants on. Just a top as a dress. Next time I will wear only jeans and a scarf.
- christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 26, 2017
Hey @united I fly a LOT. About to go on tour all April and changing all my @united flights to other airlines
- Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) March 26, 2017
Turns out United bans leggings, torn jeans, and shorter shorts for free employee pass tickets. Still @united should update policy.
- Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) March 26, 2017
.@united I have flown numerous times while displaying an egregious mooseknuckle. What's a male over 10 have to do to get noticed?
- Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) March 26, 2017
I ONLY wear leggings. Suck it @united
- Kat Dennings (@OfficialKat) March 26, 2017
This post will be updated if more information becomes available.
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