When a female passenger named Emily O’Conner recently boarded a flight from Birmingham, England, to the Canary Islands, she ran into an unexpected snag when the crew wouldn’t allow her on the flight because of her outfit.
O’Connor boarded a Thomas Cook Airlines flight after going through security, only to be stopped by airline officials who said her clothing was “inappropriate.” O’Connor had dressed for the weather she was visiting and chosen a light and airy pair of drawstring pants and a fashionable crop top. According to airline rules, the British clothes were against policy
O’Connor later described her experience on Twitter, noting that employees at the plane’s entrance initially instructed her to cover up. After she took her seat, a flight manager and four flight crew members threatened to remove O’Connor from the flight if she didn’t put a coat on.
O’Connor was surprised when they requested it. Afterward, she informed airline employees that there was no “appropriate wear” policy on their website and inquired if other passengers found her clothing offensive. When a fellow passenger began shouting insults at the young woman during the encounter, flight crew did nothing to stop it, according to O’Connor’s Twitter.
Emily was wearing this black bralette with orange trousers when she was asked to ‘cover up’ by staff on a flight from Birmingham to Tenerife.
Should you have to dress a certain way on an aeroplane? pic.twitter.com/NtLSXUAz52
— This Morning (@thismorning) March 14, 2019
Finally, O’Connor’s cousin, who was in the first row of the plane, handed her a jacket, but it was enough to traumatize her. “They informed the entire plane that I was offensive and inappropriate in front of everyone. I was literally shaking; they could see it, yet they continued to sexualize and humiliate me.
After the altercation, O’Connor went on her local morning news program “This Morning” to defend her clothing.
“For me as a young woman — or a man, any gender, any sex — you should be able to show your body in whatever way you deem appropriate … Anything you can wear socially, into supermarkets or shopping centers, you should be able to wear on an airplane,” she remarked.
Many Twitter users, including a British flight attendant, came forth with an enthusiastic show of support for O’Connor.
In a show of support, some passengers even aired their own “inappropriate” flight apparel.
According to a Thomas Cook spokesperson, the airline has already spoken with O’Connor and apologized, stating that they are dissatisfied with how the situation turned out: “We apologize for offending Ms. O’Connor. It’s obvious we could have handled the situation better. In line with most airlines, we have a dress code that is appropriate for
The passengers were also given a copy of the airline’s clothing code, which may be found in their in-flight periodical and reads as follows: “Customers wearing inappropriate apparel (including items with provocative messages or pictures) will not be permitted to fly unless they are able. Shoes must be worn on the plane.”
O’Connor tweeted on Twitter that she will avoid the airline in the future and is just glad for the support of her fellow social media users following a somewhat uncomfortable event.
“Just a short note to say thanks to everyone who has defended me. I’ve been flooded with love and support from all genders, and it means a lot. ” she added.