The duties of a flight attendant on a major airline are very important.  To maintain the passengers they must learn, understand and implement many FAA regulations.  There are many airline employees that do a perfectly marvelous job of providing customer service and safety at the same.   Nonetheless, I’m frequently annoyed by flight attendants.  Often, they exhibit personality traits similar to those of Austin Powers inasmuch as they appear to be mad with power.  They’re not all self-appointed law enforcement officers (as are many crossing guards) but, certainly, there are those who some might say take their work just a bit too seriously.

Earlier this month, a woman dressed in a black cotton dress, a flannel shirt and a scarf boarded an early morning  Southwest Airlines flight from Las Vegas to New York.  During a polite chat with an airline worker she was told that her cleavage was inappropriate and that she would not be able to board the flight unless she buttoned up her flannel shirt.

She declined to cover up and boarded the plane anyway.  It had been 115 degrees in Las Vegas during her stay and most people were dressed to stay cool.  The woman simply wanted to be comfortable as she travelled and she was, unnecessarily, judged by an airline employee.

“I initially chose [Southwest] because they were by far the cheapest option.  However, if the hidden cost is that I or other passengers will be shamed or judged without official policy to back it up, then it’s not worth it.  I was by no means fashion plate of the century with that get-up, but I wasn’t trying to be.  I was just trying to board quickly and safely, and catch up on my sleep in-flight — just like everybody else.” – Customer who was asked to cover her Cleavage

Southwest Airlines, or any other airline for that matter, is well within their rights to impose a dress code for their customers.  They’re free to require all of their passengers to wear bunny ears or ‘coon skin caps but what is troublesome is that fact that an individual employee might prevent a traveler from boarding an airplane based on their personal opinion.  Rules of this nature should be made very clear to all customers before they purchase tickets.

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