Teens barred from United Airlines flight for failing to comply with corporate dress code
United Airlines found itself at the center of a Twitter storm after two teenage girls were stopped from boarding a flight because they were wearing leggings.
The incident, which happened at Denver International Airport, was flagged on Twitter by another passenger, Shannon Watts – the founder of gun reform group Moms Demand Action.
Watts tweeted that airline staff were “forcing them to change or put dresses on over leggings or they can't board. Since when does @united police women's clothing?”
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
Watts then tweeted that one girl was allowed to board after she put a dress over her clothing while two other girls were still barred from the flight.
United Airlines responded, saying that the company has the right to refuse passengers who are not “properly clothed” via their Contract of Carriage.
A 10-year-old girl in gray leggings. She looked normal and appropriate. Apparently @united is policing the clothing of women and girls. https://t.co/RKsIFoE8pq
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
The airline later clarified that the refused passengers were “pass travelers,” – a company benefit that allows United employees and their dependents to travel for free on a standby basis.
A condition of this benefit, however, is that passengers abide by a dress code policy which United Airlines claimed leggings violated.
Under the dress code "pass riders" are not allowed to wear clothing that doesn't look "neat and professional,"reported CNN who said they received a copy of the policy from an airline employee.
@shannonrwatts (2/2) There is a dress code for pass travelers as they are representing UA when they fly. ^KP
— United (@united) March 26, 2017
United spokesman Jonathan Guerin told the New York Times that the girls stayed behind in Denver and “made an adjustment” to their outfits as they waited for the next flight to Minneapolis. Guerin did not know, however, if they had successfully boarded.
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
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
The company continued to engage with the public as they were inundated with sharp criticism for the policy and insisted that ordinary passengers could wear whatever they wished.
Girls wearing LEGGINGS reportedly forced to change before @united would let them board and this...is...United's response... pic.twitter.com/KHJgau8tRE
— Elizabeth Minkel (@elizabethminkel) March 26, 2017
Reports of the incident went viral as a number of high profile names took issue with the Airline’s “sexist” actions.
To recap #leggingsgate: @United policy preventing females from boarding airplane while dad gets on in shorts is sexist and sexualizes girls. https://t.co/64XhuaXvWz
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
Model Chrissy Teigen declared she has flown with the airline with “literally no pants on,” while actress Patricia Arquette told the company that “leggings are business attire for 10 year olds.”
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
@united Leggings are business attire for 10 year olds. Their business is being children.
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) March 26, 2017
Actors Seth Rogen and William Shatner all highlighted the policy’s apparent double standards.
We here at @united are just trying to police the attire of the daughters of our employees! That's all! Cool, right? https://t.co/xGyL4IAslE
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) March 26, 2017
😱👇🏻I'm going to start wearing leggings! Is that against the rules? 🤔#outdatedfashion#outdatedruleshttps://t.co/V5LnwDwygY
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 26, 2017
What if they were wearing these👇🏻$1950 leggings Are these banned with employee tickets? 🤔 https://t.co/zdIzR2zYr0https://t.co/PfiDogTB96
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 27, 2017
@united@PattyArquette Friendly Advice, United: No one is nearly as offended by a little girl in spandex as they are by this situation.
— Nick Bolton (@NickBolton13) March 26, 2017
@waltmossberg@SarahBurris@united United's actions against leggings is something I'd expect from the Taliban, not a major western airline.
— John Balano (@jgbalano) March 26, 2017
It's not going to be a pretty sight, but I'm going to wear yoga pants for my next @united flight.
— Andrew Millspaugh (@armillspaugh) March 26, 2017
Meanwhile, rival airline Delta benefited from the spat as Twitter users and the company itself declared the airline was leggings friendly.
Flying Delta means comfort. (That means you can wear your leggings. 😉)
— Delta (@Delta) March 27, 2017
@shannonrwatts@united Currently on a @Delta flight in leggings--as is half my flight. #IWearLeggings#ComfortMatters#LetThemFly
— DCBackpacker (@MyBeerAdventure) March 26, 2017
Hey @Delta, just had a great flight with great service...even with an 8 yr old in leggings (GASP)! Watch and learn @unitedpic.twitter.com/Y1HpMPNS8d
— tabitha ford (@TKFord1) March 26, 2017
Hey @united - I just flew @Delta and the woman next to me had leggings on! No one died!
— JEN KIRKMAN (@JenKirkman) March 26, 2017
Dear @united, you've already lost. Dear @Delta, you've already won. @shannonrwatts@jennvzande@MyBeerAdventure#LeggingsGate in short: pic.twitter.com/ACr7S1KokV
— John Prosser (@prosserjohn) March 26, 2017
