If something awful, questionable, or upsetting happens in the age of social media, it can quickly go viral. The latest backlash that has gone viral today on the internet had a lot to do with pants and airplanes.
The story centers around two girls and United Airlines’ decision to kick passengers off of a flight over their attire.
Several people tweeted their surprise and concern over an incident where to United passengers were barred from their Minneapolis-bound flight over their leggings.
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
How did United defend the issue? The airline explained the company has the right to refuse service to customers’ they believe are dress inappropriately.
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
United Airlines response did not sit over well with people on Twitter.
1) 3 girls inspected for wearing perfectly acceptable leggings. 2 not allowed to board. I don’t care what kind of passengers they were. https://t.co/9VwGKgvWys
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
2) This behavior is sexist and sexualizes young girls. Not to mention that the families were mortified and inconveninced.
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
3) As the mother of 4 daughters who live and travel in yoga pants, I’d like to know how many boys @United has penalized for the same reason.
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
What is considered inappropriate is largely subjective and is difficult to explain in a set of rules and regulations. Anyone that has gone a flight has seen a wide array of outfits, especially considering how strenuous it can be to walk through airplane security. The issue quickly caught the attention of celebrities including Sarah Silverman, Patricia Arquette and Chrissy Teigen.
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
@united Do you have a secondary fail safe from a supervisor to make these calls?
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) March 26, 2017
@united Ok we got it. Women and girls are in a no mans land about appropriate attire. So looks like we can’t fly.
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) March 26, 2017
United took to Twitter to stress that they have the right to refuse a customer’s service over what they believe is inappropriate for travel. While the company is correct for having a set of standards, it leaves open a pandora’s box of what is and what is not acceptable for travel. Now the airline is forced to addressed the issue of clothing before every passenger boards a flight.