US Airways has been the focus of controversy for a few weeks since it banned a young man for inappropriate dress (he wore his pants extremely low with some underwear showing above his pant line which is a Hip Hop style.)  We found out that just days earlier, a male cross dresser who was dressed mostly in lingerie was allowed to board another US Airways flight. 

Now we see some claiming that US Airways was racially profiling people, sending mixed messages and other politically charged things. 

Thing is, I think both should have been banned from flying.  An airliner is not a public bus.  It’s an environment where 100 or more people sit in close confines for multiple hours.  It’s no more appropriate to dress in that manner (on either’s part) for an airliner than it would be for showing up to a court. 

I don’t expect people to wear dress clothes.  I don’t expect them to be uncomfortable or unable to access their own style.  However, both parties should have known their dress was inappropriate for their travel and if they didn’t, shame on them for being clueless.  I do expect people to dress somewhat properly for boarding an aircraft.  In fact, if airlines would like to start banning pajamas and sweat suits, I would be fine with that, too. 

At a minimum, I expect people to dress to a standard that would be expected for dining at a better restaurant.  By restaurant, I don’t mean the luxury McDonald’s either.  Furthermore, I don’t expect airlines to have to drive themselves crazy to administer such a dress code.  If someone is inappropriately dressed, give them the opportunity to rectify it, let them travel on another flight, etc.  This really isn’t any different than a hygiene issue.

Let me point out that while the inside of an airliner *feels* like a public space, it isn’t.  Not quite.  It’s no different an area than a restaurant and, yes, we allow restaurants to decide what is minimally accepted in how someone is dressed too. 

People don’t own the airliners.  Airlines own the airliners.  Shame on US Airways for permitting the cross dresser on a flight.  That man was dressed wholly inappropriately for man or woman . . . period. 

And for those of you who think flying on an airliner is the equivalent of being in your bedroom in your own home, grow up.  You know right from wrong and it’s up to you to act like an adult and show that you do.

Filed under: Airline News by ajax