It’s no coincidence that nearly every one of these wardrobe-related stories involves Southwest Airlines. Friendly service, jokes, and an intolerance of any sort of revealing attire seems to be coded into the DNA of the Dallas-based airline. Today we look at what happened on a Southwest Airlines flight to Florida when a woman wore fitness attire onboard.
Southwest Airlines Shames Maggi Thorne Over Fitness Attire
I’ve never heard of Maggi Thorne or the fact that she was a seven-time competitor on “American Ninja Warrior” (another thing I have never heard of). I do not have a TV at home. But I do care that she was shamed by a flight attendant who did not like what she was wearing onboard.
Thorne claims she was shamed by a Southwest Airlines flight attendant for wearing fitness gear on flight 1039 from Omaha (OMA) to Orlando (MCO).
A Southwest Airlines flight attendant just shamed me in front of passengers saying my attire wasn’t appropriate. A tank top and high-waisted pants.Flight 1039. Is this really happening in 2023? The passengers around me were stunned as she shamed me for all to hear.
https://twitter.com/Nvr_GvUp/status/1697660305680015615?s=20
The picture above is what she was wearing.
And I guess my reaction is…what’s the problem?
And this wasn’t a one-off incident:
- Model Claims Southwest Airlines Discriminated Against Her Due To Breast Size
- Southwest Captain Covers Up “Lewd” Passenger With His T-Shirt
As I wrote then, kind of hard to lecture passengers with a straight face when Southwest plasters scantily-clad Israeli model Bar Refaeli on the side of one of its Boeing 737s…
CONCLUSION
I’m of the opinion that her attire was just fine and the flight attendant was out of line. I wish Southwest Airlines would tell flight attendants just to leave people alone onboard. Calling women out for their wardrobe choices merely brings more attention to them. That undermines the “concern” that their attire is not right for the passengers around them.
Maybe we should start calling out U.S. FA’s for being frumpy, poorly groomed, and wearing ugly clogs. As well, when they are miserable people like this.
Sounds like a GREAT idea. Too many fugly, schoolmarming FA’s out there. Time to put them to pasture.
I miss Hooters Air.
I remember some years ago flying out of BWI and on the parking lot bus we called out airlines. A poor guy in back sheepishly muttered, “Hooters Air” and the whole bus burst out laughing. The sheer embarrassment of flying them must have been their eventual demise.
They should give thal Skanky FA time off to wash her greasy filthy hair/
Why is it always women who are called out, shamed, and even denied boarding because of their attire?
Because men don’t usually wear form fitting or revealing clothing, at least not as often.
I couldn’t hear anything on the video. What was said? I’m mostly disturbed that so many women want to wear bare skin on the plane because I would not want my skin touching the same fabric that thousands of people, many unwashed, have sat on, sweated on, peed on, vomited on, changed diapers on, etc.
amen
Why does your brain tell you to wear gym clothing on passenger flights? Seriously.
I’m a man and nothing It’s wrong with what the lady wear people need to mind your own business and stay in your lane, Also that respectful flight attendant maybe that is why her husband leave her for a younger woman
Because a tank top and high wasted pants are comfortable WHEN YOU TRAVEL. Jeez grow up.
Her outfit is not appropriate. Is it “allowed”? I suppose. Should it be allowed? I would say, “No”. But then, I don’t think leggings and halter tops are appropriate outside of one’s own home.
I agree. Was there a gym/workout room on board this plane? Modesty is lost on people these days. While her attire may be comfortable in the gym, running errands, or around the house…it is not very hygienic or even practical to be wearing on any type of flight, foreign or domestic. It seems pretty obvious that the lady was dressed to attract attention. She should not be upset/surprised when she received it, even though it was negative. Maybe flight attendant could have pulled her to the side and handled it better. How many of you see grown adults wearing gym clothes on flights?…show of hands?
I agree! I’m sure she was wearing high waisted leggings not pants. These young girls think it’s ok to wear these leggings as regular street clothes. How were they raised? Where has modesty gone? It really is a shame that these girls have no shame anymore.
Help me understand something – and I am asking sincerely. Why is it immodest to wear these high-wasted leggings? What is wrong with them?
Here’s the thing about “freedom.” The moment I object to anything you do, that freedom is over. When the founding fathers came over on the Mayflower, they didn’t do any of this woke garbage. They wanted a FREE country, and that means that if I don’t like what you’re doing, you better change. This woman boarded a plane wearing $400 of Vuori athleisure wear, and we can’t have that. In a free society, everyone dresses the same, and they dress down. If you want to just run around wearing Vuori (or Lululemon if you’re poor) move to Venezuela, or North Korea, or Ubekibekibekistanstan. She makes me sick.
The founding fathers didn’t come over on the Mayflower, dummy. That was like 100 years later. History is important, but correct history is even more so.
I’m chuckling with your remark about the Mayflower. I learned back in school, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, that the pilgrims had left England for being intolerant of their ways so they tried moving to Amsterdam and left there because… it was TOO tolerant. Their children were left to decide for themselves if they wanted to live like the Amish, so to speak, and were wandering away so they endured harsh conditions precisely to isolate their children from unwanted influences. Ever read The Scarlet Letter?
The neat thing about travel is precisely to see how intolerant in many ways the USA is but yet “intolerant” in some of the worst ways that matter. European women and men dress much better and have better manners (although the Danish appear to have a reputation as being line cutters) but the states has both oversexualized everything with tattoos and face piercings far more than anywhere I’ve been, but on the other hand the bourgeois here are more prudish and easily offended.
That being said, I have nothing against women wearing gym attire on board but it’s darn cold on those planes and I don’t wear shorts as others pointed out here because I don’t want my bare skin touching places 1000 kids have puked on before. I wear blue jeans and when I get to my destination, I put them in the drawer, wear on the plane ride home, then into the washing machine they go.
I’m soooo tired of Lululemon-type clothing and the whole athleisure wear fashion trend. She only needs a venti Starbucks cup to round out that tiresome ensemble.
Well said
You don’t have a TV?! Please don’t follow up with the line ”I read books” like an either/of … I love reading your blog and enjoy your insights, but I have al ways been weirded out by people who are proud they don’t have a TV for both news/weather and entertainment.
Happens on not just Southwest,,,look at the attire of some slobs,,,I mean pax onUA<<AA<<DL,,,,in coach and business,,,,,,I guess Im just an old guy,,try to wear blazer and slacks when ai travel…
I guess I am old school but I prefer to dress up when I’m flying.
Peoples’s dress is very casual now but is what she was wearing anymore inappropriate than what the woman who saw the unreal person was wearing? Leggings are underwear and shouldn’t be worn in public.
I think men wearing shorts on planes is ridicluous too. Shorts are for kids, excercizing or relaxing after work. My dad would always wear a sport jacket on the plane.
I am a Southwest FA. We are told to leave people alone. These situations pop up when people are over worked or under a lack of sleep. It could also be some kind of group think or just general display of Alpha behavior. Fitness clothes are fine. The contract of carriage agreement a link at the bottom of the airline web site. States the two way agreement of airline and pax. Feel free to review this. If something is out of line write into the airline addressing your concern. The flight day and number. You can also add the FA in concern. But I guess a news article can bring attention to your feelings also. I am just not sure what has been accomplished? Keep flying and all the best.
Matthew, when you’ve shown yourself traveling, You Appear to take pride in how You look. I’ve either sene you dressed up, or at the very least, business casual. That being said, I don’t understand why Your a proponent of gym wear being acceptable on a packed plane, let alone in an airport. People used to take pride in how they appear. I don’t care if someone has the most fit body ever, I think they look like fools in toga pants and tight tank tops. It’s lazy, very revealing, and often stinky. Airlines should just ban all of this junk under some regulation about passenger smell after they work out and also being able to make out every crevasse of their body parts eith this tight clothing. You want to wear flips flops and cargo shorts? Cool. At least You look like you just came from an island or a skate park. But all this “fitness wear” is lazy and gross IMHO.
Interestingly, I have no problem with fitness wear (though you are right, I still do tend to dress up a bit when I fly). I do have trouble with passengers who smell, don’t use headphones, or invade the personal space of others.
I love your reply what happen to people dressing appropriately when they leave there house.. flying on a commercial aircraft basically half naked and sitting in seats with other people dirty clothes you have no idea what to expect ..you are picking up germs and bacteria so close to your body . I’ve heard a few stories of women getting rash and bumps over there skin..I think it’s just nasty..
Damn, there are a lot of sticks up a lot of butts in this post. It’s really noticeable once the first overly conservative twat let’s off about what they think is proper attire, which then emboldens the others to pile on. So, it went from “the FA is wrong” to a quick “she should be ashamed, waaah.” LOL. I’ll be sure to wear my banana hammock and won’t shower for a week before I sit next to one of you snowflakes on your next flight. Don’t tread on me, or her, or something, something, freedom.
Bro you know if she was 250 lbs in that kind of outfit you would want her to put some clothes on.
Wow, these comments are really funny, not in a ha, ha sort of way. When I am flying, I plan to be as comfortable as I can be. If I choose yoga pants and a t shirt, that’s my right to do so just as your blazer and slacks are your right. Too many people want to police others. I didn’t see anything wrong with what she was wearing. There were no body parts exposed. Commenters act like she boarded in a bikini bathing suit. I have sat beside people who were fully clothed and smelled like they just left the gym. I guess as long as they weren’t dressed like they went to the gym, it’s ok. ♀️
There should be a policy in place how people dress on a flight or Doctors office, it’s ridiculous how people dress up for these occasions;LEAVE YOUR FITNESS CLOTHES FOR WHAT IT IS; EXERCISE
One step above Cookie Monster pajama pants, I suppose.
Context is important. I cannot imagine wearing a bikini to church or to dinner at a fancy restaurant. I wouldn’t wear a tuxedo or long gown to the beach or a high-school basketball game. Adjust what you wear to where you are going and what you are doing. Gym clothes on a plane, somewhat questionable but whether it crosses the line is something I can’t say.
For the love of God, at least cover your arm pits when you fly, or have a sweater or jacket to put on when seated on the plane. I don’t get it….this type of “athletic” wear (though I highly doubt a sweat would ever be broken in this get-up and makeup) looks super cute in the gym or on a running trail, but very class-less on a plane/in an airport. The line is definitely blurred between class/decorum and feeling comfy. I have a hard time believing people do this and then are dismayed for being called out….it’s become the way to get followers or make it into featherweight news.
I dont take offense to athleisure attire but I do think it looks cheap. I’m glad Southwest is upholding standards for attire but I wish they’d do it more politely.
It’s low grade and trashy on her part, but there’s always going to be some trash riding the bus. Which is what flying is these days, and LUV in particular. Singling her out for this is unfair and a waste of time and energy.
Now if you wanted to shame her for having had cosmetic surgery at such a young age, ….
So what if she did board the plane in a bikini? Would you be criticizing her at that point or still saying nobody should be “policed” for what they wear?
Besides the “look”, no one has addressed the elephant in the room, the safety issue. According to the NTSB, 68% of plane crash fatalities occur not because of the force of the crash itself, but because of post-crash fires. What she’s wearing would simply melt to her skin, if not combust itself, if the unthinkable were to happen. Painful? Definitely, if not life-ending. But you’ve got to look good, right??? Maybe I’m in the minority, but whenever flying, I consciously try to wear cotton or other natural fabric clothing, as I would not want to experience what she would in a fire.
I think people are haters, Full of jealousy and nosy. Leave people alone and mind your business. FA’s are there to work and make the passengers flight as pleasant as possible and don’t be concerned with other people attire.
In the days past of wide body jets and plenty of leg room, I can totally see dressing for the luxury of flying. My Aunt was a flight attendant for Pam American, those were the good old days of flying.
Today, airlines, especially lower cost ones, have people packed in like rats! It’s uncomfortable & not an “ experience “ any longer. Most airlines do little to make the customer feel special… ie no hot meals, drink service, pillows & blankets.
Wear what is going to be most comfortable for your flight as long as it doesn’t show inappropriate parts of the body. I don’t see how a young woman in workout attire is offensive on a Southwest airline flight.
In the great words of my best friend…you do you boo! There is much more going on in this world than this situation.
My two cents.
Same incident happened to my girlfriend and I. We were checking in our bags and the @southwest agent told my girlfriend to pull down her shorts. Saying it was too high up. My girlfriend admittedly pointed out other females with the same short on saying what about her. Southwest should not be shaming people for what they wear. This is not the middle east.
In the meantime, people are still being killed in the Ukraine, 2300 children go missing a day in the US, Hurricanes have caused death and destruction recently, the children and many people in Maui are missing and/or have lost everything, up to and including their lives….
PERSPECTIVE. We choose what to spend our mental energy on. Allocate wisely.
If she has paid the extra two dollars at Dollar General, she could have gotten a t-shirt for the trip.