Community Chat

[Noel7]

"... a group of girls, including a 10-year-old, were targeted by airline staff and forced to wear dresses over the top of their leggings or change their clothes.

She said three girls were allowed to board after putting on dresses but a further two could not get on the plane."

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/united-airlines-faces-huge-backlash-after-barring-girls-in-legg...

[CrazyDaisy]

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@Noel7 wrote:

"... a group of girls, including a 10-year-old, were targeted by airline staff and forced to wear dresses over the top of their leggings or change their clothes.

She said three girls were allowed to board after putting on dresses but a further two could not get on the plane."

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/united-airlines-faces-huge-backlash-after-barring-girls-in-legg...

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Once again this is from a tweet made by a person who is making assumptions about a situation they were not actually involved.  Hardly reliable.

[Lucky Charm]

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@Lucky Charm wrote:

This may have been missed by some.

Pass Travel Attire Updated April 2016

(and the bottom line is.....)

ALL PASS RIDERS:

All employees, retirees and early-out participants are responsible to ensure that all of their pass riders are dressed appropriately.

If you are uncertain about what is acceptable attire for pass travel, please ask your supervisor or your Human Resources partner.

---

[sidsmom]

The assumed "10 year old" was not denied boarding.

(Age was Shannon Watt's assumption)

Her parents overheard the exchange & took it upon themselves to dress differently.  

Shannon Watts got SO many details wrong.  

You just know when it came out the female passengers were employee passes, she probably thought, '******!' and started her major spin control.

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2017/03/27/united-leggings-false/

What actually happened?

"Matthew at Live and Let’s Fly" did a brilliant job summarizing the timeline, which I’ll just recap briefly here, with some formatting emphasis:

-) A group of three United Airlines pass riders (family/friends of an employee) were attempting to travel from Denver (DEN) to Minneapolis (MSP) on UA215, leaving at 7:55AM

-) Gate agent noted that two of the pass riders (teenage girls) were wearing leggings, in violation of United’s pass rider dress code policy

-) United’s dress code for non-rev flyers states “form-fitting lycra/spandex tops, pants and dresses” are prohibited

-) The girls were asked to change clothes in order to board the flight
Another family, traveling as revenue (paid, not pass riders) customers was in line to speak to the gate agent and witnessed the incident

-) Their young daughter was wearing leggings

-) They were unaware that the dress code was only for pass riders and assumed the policy applied to them too

-) The family had a dress for the young girl in their hand baggage and placed it on her, without consulting with the pass riders or the gate agent

-) Another passenger (Shannon Watts), traveling on a different United flight witnessed part of the incident and tweeted about it, accusing United of being sexist against women

-) She quoted the agent as stating, “I don’t make the rules, just follow them”
United’s Twitter team responded promptly, defending the action of the gate action and referencing the §21 of the company’s Contract of Carriage, stating that passengers can be denied boarding for being “barefoot or not properly clothed”.

-) The tweet and United’s response went viral

-) United soon realized that the two women denied boarding were pass riders and confirmed that via Twitter

-) The family with the little girl traveled to Minneapolis as planned on UA215
The two pass riders traveled on a later flight to Minneapolis

[sidsmom]

[SUHsE]

People traveling on employee passes, do not, in any way identify themselves, as airline employees, or family/friends, of such. So, actually, how, are they representing the airline?  

To deny boarding to, two teen girls, for no other reason, than they were wearing leggings, seems antiquated and excessive.  Especially, since they'll allow paying travelers (don't want to lose that revenue) to wear the same garment. 

I have cotton knit knit leggings that are not tight, at all, I always go up a size for comfort, but, they do have some spandex? Would they be banned, too? The rule seems a bit unclear. 

[CrazyDaisy]

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@Suhse wrote:

People traveling on employee passes, do not, in any way identify themselves, as airline employees, or family/friends, of such. So, actually, how, are they representing the airline?  

To deny boarding to, two teen girls, for no other reason, than they were wearing leggings, seems antiquated and excessive.  Especially, since they'll allow paying travelers (don't want to lose that revenue) to wear the same garment. 

I have cotton knit knit leggings that are not tight, at all, I always go up a size for comfort, but, they do have some spandex? Would they be banned, too? The rule seems a bit unclear. 

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United, in fact most airlines, offer these passes as perks.  In order to qualify for these perks they must agree to adhere to a dress policy.  It is one of the conditions of use.  Don't want to follow the dress code .... don't use the passes.

As stated before there are other companies that have dress policies for their employees when traveling for the company.  The company is paying for the ticket, they can impose a dress code.

[CrazyDaisy]

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@sidsmom wrote:

The assumed "10 year old" was not denied boarding.

(Age was Shannon Watt's assumption)

Her parents overheard the exchange & took it upon themselves to dress differently.  

Shannon Watts got SO many details wrong.  

You just know when it came out the female passengers were employee passes, she probably thought, '******!' and started her major spin control.

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2017/03/27/united-leggings-false/

What actually happened?

"Matthew at Live and Let’s Fly" did a brilliant job summarizing the timeline, which I’ll just recap briefly here, with some formatting emphasis:

-) A group of three United Airlines pass riders (family/friends of an employee) were attempting to travel from Denver (DEN) to Minneapolis (MSP) on UA215, leaving at 7:55AM

-) Gate agent noted that two of the pass riders (teenage girls) were wearing leggings, in violation of United’s pass rider dress code policy

-) United’s dress code for non-rev flyers states “form-fitting lycra/spandex tops, pants and dresses” are prohibited

-) The girls were asked to change clothes in order to board the flight
Another family, traveling as revenue (paid, not pass riders) customers was in line to speak to the gate agent and witnessed the incident

-) Their young daughter was wearing leggings

-) They were unaware that the dress code was only for pass riders and assumed the policy applied to them too

-) The family had a dress for the young girl in their hand baggage and placed it on her, without consulting with the pass riders or the gate agent

-) Another passenger (Shannon Watts), traveling on a different United flight witnessed part of the incident and tweeted about it, accusing United of being sexist against women

-) She quoted the agent as stating, “I don’t make the rules, just follow them”
United’s Twitter team responded promptly, defending the action of the gate action and referencing the §21 of the company’s Contract of Carriage, stating that passengers can be denied boarding for being “barefoot or not properly clothed”.

-) The tweet and United’s response went viral

-) United soon realized that the two women denied boarding were pass riders and confirmed that via Twitter

-) The family with the little girl traveled to Minneapolis as planned on UA215
The two pass riders traveled on a later flight to Minneapolis

---

Excellent explanation of the entire situation.  I am sure there are some who will say he is wrong because that is not what was tweeted.

[SaRina]

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@Suhse wrote:

People traveling on employee passes, do not, in any way identify themselves, as airline employees, or family/friends, of such. So, actually, how, are they representing the airline?  

To deny boarding to, two teen girls, for no other reason, than they were wearing leggings, seems antiquated and excessive.  Especially, since they'll allow paying travelers (don't want to lose that revenue) to wear the same garment. 

I have cotton knit knit leggings that are not tight, at all, I always go up a size for comfort, but, they do have some spandex? Would they be banned, too? The rule seems a bit unclear. 

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@Ugh - I can't believe I'm back here to continue this inane conversation, but I must agree with @Suhse regarding the Bottom Line (no pun intended). That is... What is the purpose of the dress code according to United Airlines? It is to "represent the airline".  So people can continue to say, 'til they're blue in the face -- their dress code, their rules -- but the fact of the matter is, this dress code does not result in any way, shape, or form a "representation of the airline" due to the fact that no one knows who these pass riders are. The dress code becomes completely unnoticed and irrelevant.

May I therefore suggest to United Airlines -- if they wish their dress code for pass riders to reflect upon them -- that they also require these pass riders to wear a large paper badge on their person that says, "We represent United Airlines." That way, perhaps others will be able to acknowledge how very appropriately dressed they are... and maybe even follow suit. (again, no pun intended).

The bigger lesson IMO might be.... Sometimes we have to question or challenge rules... that may not make too much sense.

I'm done. Lol.