I was very disappointed to read about Southwest's treatment of Kyla Ebert (see http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070905/news_1m5braun.html)

Passengers are paying customers who can choose which airline they fly. United Capt. Denny Flanagan seems to understand this. (see
http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/0828biz-Unitedcapt28...)

I, for one, cannot afford to trust my travel or patience with to a company that is liable to make an arbitrary person decision like this.

It looks like you have to be particular about what you pack if you want to fly on Southwest...

http://feministing.com/archives/007683.html#more

Southwest Airlines blew it this morning when they allowed NBC to report on the 'Hooters' girl who was humiliated on a flight because of her attire. Southwest should have apologized. Now it looks like a lawsuit is coming. Horrible damage control.
My daughters, who I consider modestly attired, dress no different and I am afraid to let them travel any longer on Southwest Airlines for fear of similar humiliation.

I am so glad you are ok with costumes and have this fun blog to cover the fact that your airline is disgusting, misogynist, and abusive towards customers. I, of course, refer to this bit of filth here:

http://shoeblogs.com/wordpress/2007/09/06/hooters-hottie-on-no-fly-list

Your summer of luv, your costumes, your veiled innuendo in the blog, yet you abuse customers for wearing normal clothing. I am disgusted.

With the amount of business travel I do, I'll avoid Southwest. I put in a couple thousand a month at the minimum, and I'd rather see someone else get it if you are going to abuse your customers and try to shame them.

Wow, Southwest used to have their flight attendants in very short attire and now you kick people off your planes for a short dress? Let me guess it was some conservative Christian bitching about what a young woman on her way to Tucson has one. How stupid of Southwest to kick her off the flight. I hope she sues the crap out of you!!! You deserve everything bit of bad press you get on this. What morons!

I will write a letter to the office address given on the home page of Southwest Airlines since I am sure my comments will not be posted here or on any of the other blog topics. I will tell you though what I will be writing to the corporate office. I have previously flown Southwest Airlines, actually the only airline I have flown, but will not fly with you again. I just heard a news cast about a traveler on your airline being reprimanded for her attire. She was dressed legally and that is all that should matter. I am 52 yrs. old, married, 5'5", 115lbs and a b cup breast. I do not wear bras and have not for 12 years. I do wear tank tops, mini skirts, short shorts, and hip-hugger bell bottoms. You know, all the clothes of the 60's and early 70's. I will not ever fly with you again since you think you can dictate dress codes beyond that of legal attire.

What has happened to the Corporate Culture thing? The shoddy treatment of the beautiful, young Miss Ebbert has me wondering. She should have gotten an apology. Has Southwest gotten too big for its hot pants? Oh for the days of friendly, beautiful young ladies in orange hotpants and free fifth of scotch or bourbon on holiday flights!!! I am so disappointed that I may not fly SWA for a while until I get over it!

I was outraged today to read the news story about Southwest Airlines asking a passenger to leave a flight because she was dressed too sexy. With all the lines, security checks, late flights, and rules which differ from airline company to airline company about luggage, when does Southwest have time to add the chore of fashion police? I support the young woman who has made the decision to sue your company, and I certainly WILL NOT take a Southwest airline. I totally reject the lame explanation given to the media which supported the action of your company employee who took the action to speak to the passenger about her outfit! I have begun to encourage others NOT to do business with Southwest Airlines. Perhaps a strong campaign which is anti-Southwest Airlines this fall and winter travel season might get you to deal with what is important and NOT outfits.
Southwest

When are you going to post a story about your disgraceful treatment of Kyla Ebberts? I hope she sues your tails off.

They should worry about terrorists and overweight people. They should seldom if ever lecture a customer and never a cute one. I would go out of my way to fly an airline that welcomed such a customer.

i think that it was stupid for southwest to make that woman adjust her clothing.i will never fly southwest again in my life and i hope that she puts them out of business.i am sick of people trying to impose there own persona judgements on other people.come on america and lighten up.southwest sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This incident raises my concern about the way women do not think of covering their bodies sufficiently to avoid the possibility of smearing public seats with
their personal bodily fluids, discharge, etc. In addition to the short skirts, some women wear scanty "string" underwear leaving an almost bare buttocks area directly on the seat covers. This is extremely unsanitary! The limited space in which a passenger must travel on any public transportation is then reduced
even more by such occurrences.
I applaud, the flight attendant for taking a stand to protect the customer. I applaud Southwest for standing behind its employee and its policy in this matter. I would encourage any further actions by Southwest to continue to move to protect and inform its passengers. I will continue to fly Southwest.

I am very disturbed that southwest thinks it has the right to impede on a persons right to dress as they wish. The lady with the mini skirt, tank top, and sweater was un-justly singled out and repremanded. The worst part is she had to listen to a lecture on dressing, if it was me I would have slapped you silly southwest. And maby some tact in confronting her would have been nice, no instead you adressed her in front of everyone. I will never fly southwest again. Hey southwest how about you take your employees and make them go through a customer service course, because your employees are unprofessional.

I just wanted to comment on your recent event with the young lady who was, by your team members opinion, not dressed ok to fly. I fly your airline frequently and I am constantly thinking how you guys allow your flight team to wear what they wear. They are never polished and are always looking cheap, baggy clothes, shorts, sneakers, etc. Even Mc.Donalds employees dress better than your staff. I was not on this particular flight and did see what the young lady was wearing on the Today show, but your flight attendant could have at least talked with her in private and suggested she wrap in a blanket if it was that bad. I really hope you do something about this and have a conversation with your staff.

I think it's shameful what Southwest did. So what if there's a "crotch shot". She's sitting in a tube with a seat 6" in front of her. Who's going to see? And she was wearing underwear. I am a very frequent SW flier out of Midway covering 13 states and it's aggrivating to fly these days with all of the delays and what not SW seems to help put a bit of fun back in. Looks like they're loosing that. I think I'll forget about air travel and just drive. I'll probably get to where I'm going just as fast and I can wear whatever I want.

When did SW think they could start making the laws of decency? That old fuddy dud attendant should be canned and the girl gets a free pass for life.

GOODBYE SOUTHWEST!

Hasn't southwest ever heard of the bill of rights?

I hope she sues southwest for the inexcusable treatment she got. She was dressed in a manner that covered up everything that should be cover in public and would not be considered lewd by any normal thinking individual.

I think the treatment of this customer by Southwest is outrageous. I did not realize Southwest was a conservative, fundamentalist, right-wing christian organization. This has completely changed my view of Southwest. I don't think any business in this supposedly free country should get away with such an action and hope Ms. Ebert is successful in her lawsuite against Southwest. I frequently fly between San Diego and San Jose, often on Southwest. I have alternatives and will fly with other airlines in the future.

HOW DARE SOUTHWEST!!!!!!!! I am APALLED by the treatment of the young women your airline decided to harass. It is DISGUSTING that the way a women dresses is policed by your airline staff. I will make sure EVERYONE I know DOES NOT FLY SOUTHWEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing that SWA would be so prudish and petty !!!!! Its changed my opinion
of the airlines. They used to be great but no more. Crappy deals, delayed flights, this thing etcc. They definitely arent the "fun" airlines anymore !!!
Branson should open an airlines like SWA used to be !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of the comments crack me up. One of them is I will never fly SWA again. Just wait until they are looking for a cheap ticket. They will be back!!

I think the flight attendants did the right thing. Did anyone see her putting her bags in the overheard compartment? Well if that's the case I'm sure everyone got a nice show wearing that small skirt.

So the poor girl was embarrassed BOO HOO! She wanted the attention by wearing it but this time it was negative and she didn't like it!!

You better put a dress code on your website so we know what's appropriate and what isn't. Are short shorts ok? How about cutoffs? What length of skirt is considered ok? How sheer of a fabric is permitted? Can I report someone I suspect isn't wearing a bra? Is showing the navel ok - what age is acceptable? If you want to be a puritanical airline, fine, but make the POLICY CLEAR so we know not to buy tickets in the first place rather than finding out after the fact.

First, I am a person who appreciates (and wears) cute clothes including short shorts and tank tops (hey - I live in Texas - it's HOT here!). But if my clothing were so short that it revealed my underwear - believe me - I'd want to know about it! And women, we all have those "standing room only" outfits that are not desinged for comfort or sitting. That's why we don't wear them on airplanes!

If Kayla were a man wearing pants that exposed his undergarments (and possibly more) you better darn well bet that he would be asked to cover up for fear of indecent exposure on the plane in front of other SWA customers. Her undewear was clearly being flashed and it's just not appropriate. Indecent exposure is illegal and it's too big of a risk to allow that to go on. As a parent of small children that I often travel with, I applaud SWA for keeping travel decent for everyone. I don't want to see up Kayla's skirt and I certainly don't want my children too either!

Kayla, you have a great figure - save the "standing room only" skirt for the club where it was designed to be worn!

I would like to comment on SouthWest recently asking a young worman to cover up. Good job! Finally someone has guts enough to do this. Her outfit was totally unacceptable for anyone to wear who has any self respect. I am sure many men will come to her rescue on this and I wonder why. It is just sad that a young lady as beautiful as she, feels she needs to show half her body to the public. This outfit was more appropriate for an MTV type show.
There comes a time when others public behavior needs to be addressed and this is one of them.

I for one am in support of the decision of Southwest airlines in that someone had the guts to take a stand on public /travel etiquette. Thank you for the contiuned respect for the other passengers .
I do believe that if the young lady would have demostrated a little more self respect and dressed in a skirt just a liittle longer there would not have been an issue.
Her attorney? verbalized that 'if this had been Paris Hilton Then she would have been seated and offered a drink'. I would certainly hope that Southwest would'nt allow a persons social status affect their professional conduct.

Incidently, I noticed that the majoritiy of responses that oppossed your decision were men.

Just remember, beauty is as beauty does.

yet another reason not to fly SWA

I am outraged at the desicion to take this young woman off of the plane. I know that I will never book a flight with your company again.

If Southwest wants to enforce something like this, a dress code MUST be in place and customers need to be informed at time of reservation - not before take off! Southwest should make customers a priority, those that complained AND the person they are discussing. She should have been told very VERY discreetly about the concern & simply (& kindly) offered a blanket (walked up to the front of the plane - no, lectured - are you kidding?, audible for any in the plane to hear - Southwest should know better). That was horrible customer treatment. Southwest seems to have forgotten that these are paying customers & people, human beings, deserving of courtesy. That said - her skirt did appear too short, & more clearly after the "show" on the Today Show. But Southwest does NOT have a dress code. How often are other common "fashion" trends addressed with Southwest customers? Men with pant WAISTbands bellow their bottoms sharing their underwear with all? Women with low-rise jeans& underwear showing - always or just when bending over? How much is too much cleavage? I would like (love) to see all these issues addressed. But, without a dress code - that was horrible treatment, and very inconsiderate! Was this really a concern worthy of delaying a flight - and the schedules of ALL the others on the flight? And, truthfully, we barely fit on the plane with much room to spare (if you're wondering - I am thin, well within my suggested healthy BMI, and my children are thin - two are much thinner than average - as our pediatrician points out at each visit, but genetically just fortunate). So, it would be quite and accomplishment of the woman discussed here to cross & uncross her legs frequently with wide sweeping movements to warrant the kind of "show" warranting the resulting treatment of the Southwest flight attendant. I would hate to pay a chunk of money for a plane ticket and be treated that way - or for the same to happen to any of my 4 children (2 of whom are teenagers that are not allowed to dress that way). Unless this is addressed well, and quickly, by Southwest I will no longer be able to be a customer.

Someone made a HUGE error in judgement on this one. I fly frequently with Southwest and I can tell you I have see far worse than this passenger. One young woman on one flight I was on had jeans cut so low they were at her pubic line and had a belly button ring that what highly suggestive . . . Not to mention a top that only covered the essential upper parts. There was no covering on her torso what-so-ever. You are such a great airline and do a wonderful job and NOW you need to be the great company you are, stand up and apologize to this passenger and give her a years worth of free air travel. Someone made a big mistake and your continued blather about protecting the public from inappropriate dress rings very hollow and is not evenly applied in any shape or form. Flying is hard enough these days. I love flying Southwest and I hope as a company you stand up and do the RIGHT thing . . As you attendants say at the end of the flight "there are many other airlines" thank you for choosing Southwest. Hummmmm

I think "corporate" level decisions should be left for people who are supposed to have the power to make them. This is going to be a Very expensive decision made by a front line employee, and executed in Very poor taste. Who cares why it was done, it was wrong. Humiliating a paying customer in front of other customers is bad business. Your employees made a HUGE mistake. Step up, do the right thing, offer a public apology, and settle out of court, its not worth the bad PR to save face. I'd also suggest a mandatory course in appropriate customer relations for all staff members who have to deal with the public.

I flew SW each week for 1 1/2 years straight during 2006-07. I've seen worse, but who cares! I fly for convenience and getting to my destination. I 'Moo' like the rest of the people and don't care how anyone looks.

It was a dumb mistake - just give me the peanuts and get to to my next stop.

Even with this faux pau, SW is lighyears ahead of 'sucky' Contintential and Delta.

I applaud Southwest's decision to request this young woman dress appropriately. Your course of action will no doubt be ridiculed by a culture that mocks modesty as an antiquated relic of the past. Others will appreciate your values and place Southwest at the top of their list the next time they fly. Thanks again.

... With all that is wrong with the nuts of the world trying to get on airlines to do what ever, you have a flight attendant that tosses someone off a plane because her skirt is "too short" and she's "offended", are you people insane? It's absolutely pathetic that that kind of thing happened to a paying passenger. Where in the ticket does it say your airlines are also the fashion police of the skys? ... I hope that you get sued and I, for one, will never fly your airlines and I will definately tell everyone I know not to fly your airlines.

Michael Lawley
Chico, CA

All Southwest Airlines needs to do is view the interview with Matt Lauer on today's GMA and when she got up to show off her "outfit" and then sat down, you could see her crotch. That's the same outfit, but is it the same underwear? Pretty disgusting!

For the mom to be so deluted to say that that outfit is okay, you have to ask what does that girl wear out to the clubs..she should have been embarrassed - at least someone have the common sense to point out that her decision to wear what she wore wasn't a good decision for the occasion. Someone tell that girl it's okay to make a mistake and to be called on it and that she doesn't have to "get an attorney" and go on national television (to show off her crotch, again, to the public).

The girl should apologize for be so self centered as to hold up the flight for the other 200+/- passengers.

I hope that SWA let's them have it with both legal barrels and put an end to such a gratuitious lawsuit. It's just so silly that the mom and daughter have their attorney present, please! They shouldn't even have those minutes of fame!

This is about the most inane thing I have ever seen, and the fact you are even making any effort to defend it is even worse.

Has the Taliban taken over operational control of Southwest Airlines?

~Becky

I am amazed that the representative had the nerve to make a statement regarding a passenger (customer's) attire. In a business setting, public or private, that would be grounds for termination. With all the ethics and morality clauses in business today, combined with the mass of litigation regarding comments made about the attire of individuals, it amazes me that Southwest's employee guidelines does not have a section about making (or not) comments about customer's attire. As previously noted, SHAME ON YOU. I will never fly your airline again and will recommend boycotting your business to all my professional and personal acquaintances. An executive of your agency should appologize immediately via mass media. The alternative is someone else (who may be a lawyer) may do the same thing and you will end up with a lawsuit that will diminsh your name even futher. Stand up and appologize; there is no excuse for this lack of professionalism. Travel to europe or asia and see what people there wear. The ignorant attitude of your employee is a testimonial to your lack of proper training and guidance for your representatives. Where is your CRM program?????????

I don't think it is out of reason for people to have a little common sense when traveling, and dressing appropriatly. I don't think it is too much to ask for a person to wear something to cover their backside if they are going to sit in a seat that someone else has to sit in later. I don't think the airline attendents spray all the seats when everyone leaves the plane. I wish they would sometimes!! It just comes down to dressing decient, and this girls parents should have instilled better values in their daughter. Maybe she started dressing this way after working at Hooters, who knows. But she can't be whining about how she is treated when she is dressing in a way to get attention in the first place. Young lady, you set yourself up to be humiliated when you wore a skirt that showed your crotch, me and a million other people saw it on the Today show this morning!!

The fact that the Today Show had to block out her crotch as she was sitting down says it all. Her skirt was too short and I commend SWA for standing up for what they believe in. Men with short-shorts, women with short skirts or low tops should not be allowed in family friendly areas. They really should tastefully choose their outfits accordingly. Did she forget that she was not working at Hooters?

southwest ought to be ashamed. of course they should apologize to the young woman for the embarrassment they caused her. the fact that they haven't done so already makes me very glad that i'm not an investor in the airline. if the steward who lectured her is so appalled by the sight of a woman's legs perhaps he should try another airline .....like AIR ALASKA!!!!

Since I'm pretty much offended by just about everyone, especially when I fly, I think I'll stick with Southwest.

Judging by their policy with this particular girl (if you think she's dressed immodestly, you haven't been out in public lately. Better hitch up the buggy and head into town for a look see) I should be able to have most of the plane to myself just by complaining to the flight attendant.

It is difficult to be able to police an issue such as this one, and it is difficult to understand what really happened after so much publicizing of the issue. However, one fundamental question is can an airline ask someone to change their personal attire because of other passengers or even flight attendants concerns? In seeing images of her skirt it is quite easy to understand that she would have been very revealing when she sat down, especially if the skirt was not pulled down as it was in the photos. As a male I appreciate Southwests concern about the appropriateness of a passengers attire when it crosses social boundaries. So I think Southwest not only had the right to ask her to change, but had an obligation to ask if they were being culturally sensitive to the other passengers. Thank you. As to how the "lecture" and the incident was handled that is something that none of us are able to comment on because we were not there to observe it and have not heard both sides of the story.

Oh Terry, how sad. We are suppose to defer to the "highly trained flight crew ". This reminds me at best something I would have heard from a nerd in high school or at worst the type of stuff spouted in the Nazi Youth Leagues.

I think we can see how this woman was dressed. It is the type of thing we see everyday on the street, stores, restaurants, etc.

If it was just one stupid employee that decided to exercise his power that is understandable. Its the age old question of whether it is more dangerous to give some little jerk too much power or too much power to the authorities.

But it was totally inappropriate. And any attempt to justify it is so utterly lame. Hopefully it is just one isolated incident. But it is so ridiculous--that is why it is getting attention.

And deferring to the "highly trained flight crew"--give me a break.

~Becky

I would imagine that SOUTHWEST has the business right to deny business to any customer. However, I believe it was a ridiculous decision by that particular flight crew to remove Kyla or to "regulate" her. SOUTHWEST's business is to provide timely and safe air transportation. I seriously doubt KYLA's attire was going to cause anyone on that flight to suffer. Suddenly, SOUTHWEST is the morality police? Should she not have been allowed to walk through the airport? Give me a break. If this is there new way of doing business, I hope they start ordering new aircraft with segregated seating by type of customer starting with a section strictly for screaming babies and toddlers. A second section isolated for smelly people. A third section for the big mouth drunks on the plane. A fourth section for air sick people. The fifth section could be for all the people that are scantly dressed. When that happens I might start flying SOUTHWEST again.

Good for you southwest airlines! It is about time companies start standing up and saying "No, this is a family business and that is inappropriate!" I don't care if she looked just like all the other people in college as her mom says...it was still inappropriate ...

There is no excuse Southwest. None. You really screwed up! To anyone posting here that even THINKS the airline might be justified in it's treatment of this woman, I pity you. I really do.

Way to go Southwest! You've got my business for sure! If you don't have a dress code I hope you create one to support your making this girl cover up. I wouldn't want to sit in her seat and I wouldn't want to be anywhere near her during a flight, especially with children. I'm sure hooters is grateful for all the attention, though. They like attention whether it's good or bad. These younger girls need to grow some class and realize they should save their skimpy clothing for the hooters classy clientele.

I disagree, this is crazy fudie thinking. Southwest just lost my business, about $2K a year we spend on their flights out of Nashville which from now on will go to Continental airlines. If I want to be preached too or judged I'll go to church and if I want to fly I'll go Continental!!

As a parent of a teenage daughter I don't know if I was more disgusted by moms excuse making or the young womans outfit. I'm all for a cute little outfit and she is a beautiful girl but...Even on the Today Show and, I am sure on her best behavior, this young woman forced me to look at her little white panties while she tried to sit back down in her seat the whole time tugging on her skirt. Who knows how many times she"flashed" while trying to get comfortable in her seat. I am so sick of looking at these young women flashing their thongs and panties I can't tell you! Although extreme, Southwest sent a Families Values statement no one else has dared and they speak for more of us than you may think!!

Thank you to Southwest for acting on this inappropriate attire. We appreciate your stand for decency which is sorely lacking throughout our society these days. Our family is grateful that the airline is protecting ALL its passengers from those who would deny us our freedom to fly without having to look at the flaunted bodies of those who have no shame in baring themselves in public. We will continue to support you.

Congratulations SWA, obviously her momma didn't teach her how to dress for travel. That was a bar-hopping-looking-to-get-me-a-date outfit. I have 3 daughters in college, and, they know what to wear for business, formal occasions, fun, etc.....

You all goofed big time -- our family flying with two children (age seven and ten) would have been more offended by your employees ridiculing a fellow passenger than by the passenger's attire. Southwest and employees involved should apologize for their unfriendly and hypocritical behavior. We will rethink our future flight plans to visit family in Vegas and Phoenix.

Thank you for the judgment call your representative made, and for backing this person's decision. It's nice that at least one company has high standards in today's culture. I have a young son. When he gets older, I don't plan on taking him to a strip club, so why should he be potentially subjected to such behavior and dress on an airplane?! I'm sick and tired of hearing about "personal rights". When is America going to stop being so selfish and have some common decency and sense?

Southwest should be embarassed! With the industry needing to gain all the customers they can- its amazing to me that Southwest has the nerve to belittle its customers!

What SHOULD she have been wearing? A Burka?! Oh, I forgot...she DID end up wearing a Burka, because she was forced to sit under a blanket for the whole trip! What is the definition of acceptable attire by any person on a SW flight? I have witnessed truly appalling outfits on almost every SW flight I have ever taken. Let's look at this honestly...extreme body odor and/or pants hanging down and showing underwear (or worse) is okay, but this young college girl's T-Shirt and Skirt were not? I am further disgusted by the fact that SW has not apologized to this poor young woman, and has indicated that they felt the actions taken by their employee were acceptable. Well, I guess that means the next flight I take on SW, it will be okay for me to require that any person sitting next to me, that I find to be personally offensive, will also need to travel under a blanket in order to make the trip (this would include screaming babies, any man in a sleeveless shirt with armpit hair showing, anyone with poor personal hygiene, anyone wearing too much perfume, anyone in yellow because I hate yellow, and anyone with a bizarre piercing, tattoo or hair color/style! This is just reprehensible! I live in a college town and this young woman was dressed better than 99% of the kids I see every single day. She should be congratulated for making more of an effort than most young people make in their personal attire, and not humiliated and embarrassed!

I am extremely dissappointed by how Kyla Ebert was treated by an airline that I have used exclusively for years. If anyone has a problem with what she was wearing that day, perhaps it is that person who has the issues here. People in this country need to grow up. We're all adults, and the kids have seen much worse. Prudish behavior like this makes us seem just like the Muslim fundamentalists that we feel our way of life is so threatened by. Too bad this type of hyprocrisy has reached the culture inside of Southwest Airlines. The little TV's in the JetBlue planes are looking more and more attractive...

Kudos to the airlines. Thank you Southwest. For someone so terribly distraught and humiliated because she was asked to cover , why did she offer to humiliate herself further by taking a flight with the offending airline for the return trip? How much is her dignity worth? By not only going back for a second helping, admitting to wearing the same outfit on the return flight, but also crying to the media months later and wearing the same outfit in front of millions of viewers she is getting what she wanted in the first place, plenty of attention.

Since when did it become an Airline's responsability to hire fashion police? You fly, we pay. What is there to debate? If I wanted fashion police, I would ask you provide them.

As the dad of a 16 year old girl her mom and I feel that if this was are girl we would SUE YOUR WINGS OFF! how dare you. Your flight attendents dress in shorts of that cut and we will pic another airline in till you come up with free flights for life to this girl and a very large "Were sorry and we were stupid" and this is not the middle east,,,yeesh

You can over shoot a runway or land in the wrong city, but dont you ever force your morals or some other persons morals on your paying public, and if i complained a person behind me was ugly would they have to put on a vail?
HOW VERY UPSETTING......

Shame on you Southwest....

Learn from this mistake

Humbly apologize

Drop fares for a few months as a make up gesture

Give this gal a few free RT tickets

And join the rest of us in the modern era.

Pretty sad that a airline that is usually viewed favorably would lower itself to such petty behavior. Was probably a jealous attendant.

Notice that 99% of posters here that actually support SWA's actions are WOMEN who didn't give their email on their posts. LOL

Women are so JEALOUS of each other's looks! Sometimes I think it borders on a psychosis.

Do any of the people here that have spoken out in support of SWA have any concept of WHY what SWA did is not right? Here is the meat of the issue:

1) SWA does not have any published dress code or published notice indicating such attire is 'inappropriate' on it's planes. A recent call to SWA was answered this way: "You can wear a bikini if you want as long as all the right spots are covered".

2) The clothing worn by the woman was way more than legal both in her originating location and at her destination.

3) The woman was given no indication her attire might be a problem until AFTER she was seated. Why? ( We all know the answer to that).

4) Customers have flown on previous flights wearing clothing that was significantly more revealing (during Halloween) and experienced no problems. Why was this girl singled out? (Again, we all know why).

5) A flight crew or passenger has NO right to demand different attire on a passenger if the airline has no posted dress code and the person is legally clothed. Period.

SWA need's to realize that, if it wants to repair the damage done by this HUGE mistake, It's going to have to make it's policies and passenger rights known to it's customers PRIOR to flight.
This woman was treated in a way that, if it were me, I would sue too. I can't believe there are some people here who can't see the error in SWA's way's. To those people, all I can say is "Get over yourself".

Shame on you, Kyla! I think it's hilarious she says she's embarrassed by her treatment. What, so embarrassed you'll go on NATIONAL

Perhaps one of the biggest guffaws by Southwest is letting Brian Lusk post a comment on their corporate blog that takes no stance, offers no insight into the Southwest position, and just takes the incredibly spineless way out: linking to the Today Show article because, I'm sure, it mentions 3 times how short the woman's skirt was. Is this your way Brian of "communicating" with your customers? Say what you really feel -- say something -- if you have a Corporate blog. Otherwise, just let your customers post and stay out of the conversation. Your effort was a very thinly veiled way to say what you really feel (Gee...her skirt was REALLY short! There was a reason we acted liked idiots) without saying it. Unbelievably embarrassing and poorly handled all around.

Southwest shold be embarassed by their actions toward that young woman!!! She paid for the flight just like everyone else and should be able to wear what she likes when flying; some may not find it appropriate but if she is not bothering anyone else "Keith" should have just kept his out of line comments to himself. I WILL NEVER FLY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AGAIN FOR THIS TERRIBLE DISPLAY OF CUSTOMER SERVICE!

I am so tired of people (male and female) dressing in a revealing manner in public. I do not think the Southwest was out of line in the least for what they did, and I applaud them. To compare this event to Muslim fundamentalists is out of line. Southwest has shown me and my family that maybe..just maybe...people should think about how they look and act in public. There are so many places that my family and I do not go just because of the indecent way of dressing of too many people. It is too bad that that girl has such a low opinon of herself that the only way she can feel important is to flaunt what should be covered.

Kayla Ebbert accidientally flashing (which she DID) and some random pervert flashing their junk on the street on order to victimize people are NO DIFFERENT in the eyes of the law. Indecent exposure is indecent exposure. If she had to be blurred on TV, just imagine what it was like in that terminal! Southwest was just protecting their other passengers. Get a grip people!

Wow !!! how ridiculous does Southwest look....I wonder how many women are lectured before their flight from the LA area to Vegas every Friday....I travel frequently from Los Angeles to the Bay Area....Perhaps I will fly JETBLUE more frequently from LA to the Bay...I will suggest the same to my business associates....

An injury to one is an injury to all.

When one young woman suffers misogyny at the hands of a corporate bully as the result of a complaint of a single member of an extreme minority, we all suffer.

I can't help wonder what the next reason for persecution will be? Or who will be the next persecutor? Will I be the next one humiliated? Will you? Will it go beyond humiliation? Perhaps public punishment will be next...I don't know. Do you?

Please take to heart the words the words of Reverend Martin Niemoller,a German Lutheran monk arrested by the Gestapo in 1937...

"First they came for the unions, but I didn't speak up because I wasn't union.
Then they came for the communists, but I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the Jews, but I didn't speak up because I was Protestant.
And then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak up."

your airline dropped the ball big time!!!

First, I would like to speak to most of the men who have commented on this blog then I will comment toward the ladies.

Gentlemen, it is amazing to me that you would write your comments so obviously out of your lust. Lets just stop and pretend you have a 14 yr old daughter and she started to leave your house dressed like this. Would she make it out the front door with your aproval?

Ladies, please allow me to give you a lesson in modesty. First, if underware visible it ain't modest. Second, believe it or not most men will find a modestly dressed woman more attractive over the long haul than an imodestly dressed one. They have to spend to much time and energy being insecure about the relationship (who's scamin' on my gal?). Sure imodesty will get you some pretty obvious short term attention (one night stand kind of stuff) but do you really want that?

I guess you can probably figure out my position by now. I think the call was correct, it probably was indecent when she sat down based on the pictures that I saw, however, I think the employee could have handled it better. Perhaps offering a blanket with a discrete comment about seeing her underware or something like that. Of course is someone wants to get upset they will and it would probably still made the news.

Offensive? Why don't you crack down on the real trouble makers - the loud talkers, the offensive b.o., the parent's with the cute little monsters, not to mention your airline's issues and delays.

What blows me away is how poorly Southwest has handled this. Look, the general consensus is that the flight attendant acted stupidly. This was not a serious issue. He made it such. Bad call, maybe he had a bad day or something. Poor judgment happens.

So Southwest comes out and...defends itself? What?!?!?!

How hard would it have been to say, "you know, our person handled this in a way that was not optimum, we want our people to make decisions, sometimes they make decisions that do not reflect our corporate philosophy, blah blah blah..WE'RE SORRY."

Instead, Brian Lusk, above, just HAS to point out that when the poor girl sat down on the Today Show, you could see her panties. Oh my. I'm sure the seat back and tray table immediately in front of her got quite a show, but for the rest of the customers on that plane....

I fly a ton. My opinion of Southwest is this: good airline, makes money, but arrogant customer service staff. It appears that arrogance is corporate policy.

Saw on TV recently how hospitible you are. Saw the skirt, sold my stock.

Thank God for the employees and management of Southwest Airlines who took a stand against immodest, indecent, immoral dress. It is time businesses stop such lewd apparel in public places. If I as a paying passenger, have to tolerate such dress with my children along, I pray another airline will step forward and demand decent dress. If I wanted my children to be exposed to her harlot dress, I would take them to Hooters. I nor my husband have ever been, nor will we ever go there because of that very thing. It is not o.K. to expose such immodesty to Christians who consider it an abomination. God will bless South West for doing the right thing. I hate to think of all the men who committed adultery who looked upon her that day and on the TV. She will have to give an account to God for it. I will continue to fly South West and reccomend to every one I know to fly it. It takes courage to stand for what is right. We would honor God more if we would get back to decency in public places. Shame on that girl

I have flown Southwest loyally once a month for the past three years. Today I purchased my first ticket on United. I may fly you again but for now, I feel that I should spend my money elsewhere.

FINALLY!

I stand up and applauded you at Southwest Airlines!!!

Thank You!

As a former flight attendant , I thank you for standing up for your company and your employee's decision; asking Miss Ebbert to dress appropriately for a family airline.

Maybe a little humiliation will help her and other's make better future decisions on what is and isn't appropriate dress in public.

I hope other business's will follow your lead.

Suzanne

HURRAY FOR SOUTHWEST!

Southwest did the right thing and I support them 100%. We don't need to be looking at other peoples underwear

Kudos for Southwest!!
What someone wears in private is their business. But when she forces her lack decent moral standards to be viewed by myself or my family, who would have no choice but to sit there and avert their eyes while in the boarding and flight process, I say great job Southwest!
The sad state of affairs is why more of the public is not outraged by an obviously beautiful young lady thinking she has to practically bare it all to be desirable, chic or Ã

Sharia Airlines - that should be your new name. I will never fly Southwest again, nor will my family - until a public apology is made to Ms. Ebbert.

Southwest treated a customer badly. The young lady was clearly dressed in enough clothing. All the parts that needed to be covered were covered.

I have flown SW twice, and I definitely saw some people on the plane who were far more scantily clad. They were not harassed. They just weren't as attractive as this woman. What kind of an employee singles out a woman because she is attractive? That's twisted.

Customer service is clearly not a priority to Southwest. You don't treat a passenger like that. The public pays you money to fly on your airline, or at least we used to. Not anymore.

WOW!!!!
I have read most of the 180+ posts on this subject. I am convinced more today than ever that this society is so easily led.

I am a loyal Southwest customer along with all my fellow employees. We are free to pick our carrier and each of us chooses Southwest because of dependability, reliability, value and CUSTOMER SERVICE. I am sorry that the young lady in this situation made the choice she did. It was the CHOICE of this passenger to opt for removal from the flight, rather than adjust her attire. I am sure the reports have all stated that the customer was asked to pull her skirt down (so that, when in a seated position, she would not flash any of the other passengers). Forget who her employer is. Personally I find that to be some added hype to allow the media to make this into some sort of discrimination case toward a certain segment of the working populous. It is time to grow up and realize that individually, we can make any decision we want. The flip side to that is that there are always consequences; some good, some bad.

I would hope that if this becomes a legal matter that the judge presiding over the case would dismiss it as a frivolous waste of the courts time. There are so many more important things going on in this country.

I am happy to see that Southwest did not cave in to potential negative press. If you will not stand for anything, you tend to fall for everything.

I look foreword to my next flight on Southwest!

I thought this was a joke when I heard of this incident. I still cannot believe that Southwest Airlines has stood behind this employeeÃ

I'm surprised at the polar opposite opinions expressed on this site versus those commenting on the NBC site referenced above. I commend SW for enforcing some judgement of what is appropriate dress on their airline, even if it is subjective and not uniformly enforced. I can't speak to where that tiny skirt was positioned on the day of the event, but in subsequent news footage she has the top of the skirt positioned so low that it would fall off if lowered another inch, and her shirt stretched to reach the top of the skirt. NBC censored her exposed undergarments when she sat down on the tv show, something not done in the internet video. Perhaps it is time for a dress code. If it means you can't fly in your pajamas, perhaps I won't have to sit next to you.

I am also very disappointed in the way that young lady was treated. If your going use the excuse "family airline" then be consistent. I've been a very long time business customer of southwest. Mid 90's when I stated flying several times a month. In the past southwest was always one that I looked at the most. Those days however are indeed in the past. I've seen much worse than that on your flights both from customers as well as the racy attitudes of some of your flight attendants that are delusional when it comes to their entertainment talents.
I think that you've made a huge mistake.

Never liked Southwest much myself anyway--cheap fares don't make up for the annoyance of the cattle-call boarding process, and their staff does dress like they work at McDonald's. And though I'm not young, or cute, or prone to dress like a Hooter's waitress, I simply can't accept that it is in any way a flight attendant's job to be the modesty police. Nor any of the rest of us, for that matter. We each get to choose how we portray ourselves to the world--for you who refer to yourselves as "Christians" (though I see no evidence of any Christ-like behavior among such people) who see this as some kind of mortal sin--believe what you like but please keep it to yourselves and stop trying to inflict your beliefs on the rest of the world. Learning to accept that other people are different than you are is typically something learned around kindergarten. Grow up.

It's O.K. for a group of Muslims to wear hajibs in 90 degree weather and to expect the entire captive passenger body to endure their prayer rituals while flying at 600 miles per hour. And perish the thought that anyone dare complain about some Sikh who insists upon boarding an airline with a ritual dagger. But perish the thought that some attractive young woman should dare to board an airline dressed in nothing more provocative than the very same clothing that one might expect to see on any public street during a warm summer's day. Then all hell breaks loose. This country is going to Hell, led to the road to ruin by politically correct jackasses who don't realize that they are contributing to the demise of their very own way of life. If "Hooters" outfits are not fit for Southwest Airlines, then neither are hajibs, turbins and the other third world outfits that you allow. I'll walk before I ever ride aboard Southwest Airlines.

Are we slowly creeping back into the 50's. At least Eisenhower was a better President. If she sues I hope the Judge throws the book at you Southwest.. Because remember you may be cheaper but there are other airlines. Why shop at Wal-mart when for a few pennies more and better customer service I can go to Target.

Southwest Airlines is the biggest hypocrite around. This is because they began their business by flaunting sex by making their "stewardesses" wear very short hotpants, probably the same length as Ms. Ebbert's shorts. I'll never fly this airline again. Get over yourself SWA. You no longer the only low-cost airline around. And, frankly, some of the low-cost carriers have a lot more class. I'm never flying your airline again.

Thank you for drawing a line in the sand on what some people decide they ware going to travel wearing. I saw the girl on the Today Show and my 1st thought was "she's a Paris Hilton wannabe." That is not a compliment, btw.

I remember when people dressed up, rather than down, to fly anywhere. It was suits and dresses and now it's flip flops & cut-off shorts & t-shirts. This is a microcosm of what has happened to our society over the past 3 decades. If people would just use consideration for others as their measure for behavior, this type event wouldn't happen.

I am, however, chuckling at the irony here. I seem to recall an upstart airline whose flight attendants used to wear "hot pants" and had the motto "We really move our tails for you." You;d never get away with that in this day!

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING! I HAVE BEEN FLYING SW FOR YEARS AND MANY TIMES HAVE BEEN SEATED NEXT TO SWEATY, SMELLY AND OBNOXIOUS PASSENGERS ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. NOW YOU KICK OFF AN ATTRACTIVE PASSENGER, WHO MOST WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SEAT MATE BECAUSE SOME UPTIGHT PASSENGER COMPLAINED. YOU SHOULD HAVE KICKED OFF THE COMPLANING PASSENGER AND NOT THE NON OFFENDING YOUNG LADY. WHERE IS YOU COMMON SENSE? I WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO FLY SW BUT WILL OPT FOR ANOTHER OPTION IF ONE IS AVAILABLE. SHAME ON YOU!

I am really disappointed and stunned at the manner in which Southwests "Dress Code" was enforced. It is now my understanding that the knees must be covered before boarding one of your flights. As a frequent Southwest customer, this really distresses me as I have traveled in shorts in the Summertime and this would clearly be in violation of your policy. If I should decide to travel on your airline in the future (it depends on how this issue is resolved) you can be sure I will point out ANY vilolations to your crew and my fellow passengers.

Well I took a look just to get every angle. Sounds like you want to use the show to justify the Customer service rep. for the action taken. Sorry to say, but I still agree with the majority 49% said that the attire was not inappropriate, 21% said yes and 30% would change the outfit was worn by a daughter. Well most daughters, when we think about them are in their teens and living at home and yes maybe for a 13-16 year old it wouldn't work. But come on, an adult woman. Tolerance is apparently not a concern with SWA. What's next? Long thick coats a security risk even at winter time, short beards required to eliminate the loss of hair in a plane. Reality check people!

I find it ridiculous that SouthWest would kick off a customer based on how she was dressed and yet allow a a 400lb. obese person to smother the armrests of anyone unlucky to be next to them. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten off a flight smelling like the heffer that was wedged into the seat next to me. Get a clue SouthWest.....this is really shamefull.

I am appaled at Southwest's treatment of Kyla Ebbert. I am a 24 year old female, and can only imagine how humiliated I would be if this happened to me! I will never fly Southwest Airlines, and will strongly discourage my family and friends from flying with them in the future.

Honestly, doesn't Southwest have anything else to be concerned about? This is so ridiculous and arbitrary! Who cares what that woman was wearing and as for the comments regarding seeing up her skirt, last I checked, you don't sit face to face on airplanes anyway. I suspect someone was feeling a little bitter and decided to take it out on an easy target. Shame on you Southwest! You're an airline that started on a marketing campaign as the "luv airlines" w/ flight attendants in hot pants! Talk about hypocracy! You should refund her in the very least and definitely apologize....

In reference to the news about Kyla Ebbert - being asked to "cover up" on a Southwest flight...bravo to Southwest Airlines!
No doubt, she is a looker, she wouldn't work at Hooters otherwise. And believe me, I am the first one to look up the skirt or down the blouse of a woman to provides the opportunity. That's WHY I dont want them to do it. That is WHY we have rules.
She is "humiliated"... OMG, thats absurd. But NOT humiliated by the revealing outfit she was wearing. Humiliation is a great lesson provided we learn from it.
I sure hope Southwest doesn't cave in to any "legal action" on her behalf. Decency is an attribute to any business, I hope you keep running the airline with the same resolve.
She needs to show a little more respect to the public and and little self respect. Dress respectably.

It was with great sadness and shock hear about the poor girl that was ordered out of a southwest plane. Lets not forget that soutwest in its early glory days had flight attendants dressed in hot pants and short uniforms. Nowawdays it seems that this airline is run by bitter, humorless, demoralised and backward thinking pseudo prudes. It is a pity that SWA has stooped so low.
The airline can count me out as a customer--

I am grateful someone finally said enough-that is too short. There should be a socially exectable level of behavior in the common public. Certain words should be avoided. Appearances, both in clothing and grooming should be conservative (I've sat next to too many people who really should shower more). The amounts of PDA shown shouldn't make you feel that you have walked into a sleezy movie.

I completely support Southwest in their efforts to say enough.

Could it be imminent that Southwest is going out of business?
Humiliating customers as a business strategy!?
SW forgot who pays their exhorbitant fuel bills.
Thankfully, other way cooler airlines fly LA to SF (Hooray for Virgin America!).
Fellow travelers, haven't we all already acquiesced to enough of a Nazi agenda in airports these days?

Thank you to the flight attendant. I am not a prude by any means, but it's obvious the skirt started at well below her navel and ended extremely too high. Knowing the fact that skirts rise upon sitting, what did she think was going to be covered. Give me a break....she was humiliated?? Maybe that outfit is fine for her job at Hooters. Why do so many women wear clothes that they fall out of or are hanging out of. Do we have to see everything?? Thank you to Southwest!

Isn't this America. How can you even consider not allowing this woman express her attitude and freedom to wear what she feels comfortable in. To those so called Christians condeeming others for what they wear. How can they walk down the street in any town in America without freaking. All I can say is I personally will never give Southwest a dime of my hard earned cash if thats how they treat people. Whats next you going to kick off somebody with a disability because others don't want to look at them. If you don't want to look at others stay home. I see more disgusting looking people everyday. So lets see you kick off that 300lb woman that wears the black thighs so tight it looks like her seams will burst. Or the guy who's ass crack sticks over his dirty low hung jeans. In honesty you know you can't. Man I wish it was me you kicked off the flight my lawyers would get me the whole airline. In fact if I do ever fly again I will have to shorten my skirt just to piss you off. Though I bet money no other airline will be as stupid as you. I hope she sues you for millions. If I get on that jury I would give it to her. YOU WERE WRONG plan and simple. America will destroy you for this.

Southwest has no respect for paying customers. This woman had on clothes that covered the parts that needed to be covered. She paid good money for the plane ticket, and she should have been allowed to fly without humiliation.

Some people talk about the old days and wearing more clothes. What about the old days when a company actually provided customer service instead of abuse? Shame on you, Southwest.

That's it???

This is the best the manager of customer communications can do?
We deserve better.

Skivvies or not?

Everyone has the right to wear what they want to wear. Sw has no right to tell anyone what to wear on any of their flights. Now if your private parts are comp-leatly hanging out yeah you should be coverd up. But the young lady looked fine to me. All you Bible bangers out there stop spewing your hate and Holy-er than thou attitude. surly you have better things to do with your time.

Southwest definitely blew it on this one. One jealous woman complains because a young girl is dressed different that she would like so it turns into this national scene. I am sure that Southwest will see the results in their reservations. I don't think it will kill the airline certainly, but it will make a difference for a while.

Bottom line: Southwest should have apologized to this young lady who did absolutely nothing wrong. If she had truly been offensive I would have appreciated what they did, but she wasn't.

Last piece of advice: If you want to enforce a dress code, first you have to have one. Don't let an uptight customer cause this kind of problem for you. I hope she is getting the embarrassment she deserves out of this.

I just wanted to say Thanks!!! I thought that the outfit that girl had on was way to "hooch". When she sat down on the Today show I saw her underwear!!! (White satin), I'm glad someone stood up to her and let it be known that family's do not want to see all that!!
Thank you!!!
Dee Miller

Neither airlines nor stewardesses or male stewards have PERMISSION to aribitrarily tell somebody what they can or cannot wear. I HOPE SHE SUES YOUR COMPANY TO PIECES. I have flown SWA for many years. I will NEVER FLY YOUR AIRLINE AGAIN. Suddenly, you've gotten too big for your britches. YOU WILL LOSE THIS LITIGATION - it WILL cost your company MILLIONS of dollars in LOST REVENUES not to mention paying for YOUR LEGAL TEAM and of course, HER LEGAL GENIUSES and lost revenue from all the people who have had it with airlines charging up the wazoo to snub people from the flights. You will also lose millions of customers over this stupid decision.

Oh, by the way, fire the idiot that pulled her from the flight. how DARE you tell anybody what they may or may not wear. What will you do next, tell a nursing mother flying on your cross country flight that her infant must STARVE because it's a FAMILY AIRLINE and she may not BARE her BREASTS to feed her infant? Good going, SWA. You've blown it BIG TIME.

i fly southwest airlines all the time and i must say i'm dissapointed to hear about the way this girl was treated. regardless of her job as a hooters waitress (and i hate how that is being used as a sorry attempt to justify this) she did not deserve to be humiliated like that. it's always sad to hear about one person being too sensitive and ruining it for the rest of us. i wish her goodluck in court and i hope she is compensated fairly.

I have only flown SW twice but from now on they are the only airlines I will fly with!!!! And SW if you stick with your guns on this one, you will have a lot more passengers especially if you continue to enforce a dress code ,who wants to sit on the seat after a Hooters waitress in that short skirt? Like it or not hygiene is a serious health issue today. If you think its not you are kidding yourself.

Well, so many have said it so well (see above), that I feel a bit redundant. Guess as a 67 yr. old female, especially with you all, that feeling could be considered appropriate. If you don't offer training to your attendants sufficient to curb an individual's self-rightous, bigoted, super-conservative tendencies, you're in for more and more difficulty with the flying public! By the way, your seats & rows are so close together, it would take a contortionist/voyeour standing on her/his head to see ANYONE'S outfit once they are sitted. This young woman only wants an apology. As a retired specialist in labor & employment law, I recommend the flight attendant be put on leave until s/he completes a full program in appropriate handling of personal reactions to customers. Doing so might resustitate the public's current view of your airline. Or maybe not!

No more mistreatment!

In the name of Homeland Security I have been forced to wait in unconsionably long lines; allow security personel to order me around in regards to my footwear and personal belongings; endure increasingly low levels of customer service, and now, I am unable to be sure that my outfit (or my wife's) will measure up to some airline steward's standard of decency?
I'm done! I will restrict my vacations to places I can drive and if I do need to purchase air travel, it won't be with Southwest anymore! I heard United has a new customer service oriented program spear-headed by a pilot who remembers when airlines used to have to compete for business.

Isn't this the airline owned by its employees? Take notice...if I have anything to say about it, you'll all lose your jobs for mistreating customers! I wish I hadn't already purchased tickets for my mother in law...believe me, it won't happen again.

Unless either Southwest Airlines, the FAA, TSA or local city/state or county ordinances otherwise prohibit in a written statement or law the wearing of such clothing, then I don't see how Southwest Airlines has a right to treat a passenger this way.

Perhaps your staff should direct their energy and 'LUV' of flying toward more important matters like trying to get flight crews to stay on the runway after landing (e.g. Burbank and Chicago).

Considering your risque advertising from the 70's showing flight attendants walking suggestively across the tarmac to the plane I have to say that you are a bunch of hypocrites. I hope that Miss. Ebbert takes action against you. I for one, will continue to avoid flying with Southwest.

I commend Southwest for demonstrating good taste. If you look closely you will see that if that skirt was pulled up even the slightest her backside would be showing from underneath. In addition, this type of skirt doesn't rise to the waist but shows the area down to the lower part of the body. Any bending over with a rising of the shirt will show more than people need to see. This young lady was disrespectfully dressed. Other passengers don't care to see
private body parts that should remain covered. Young children don't need to see this. Maybe this is the way some young adults dress but that doesn't make it right. This young lady needs to show more respect for herself and for others by dressing accordingly. I am shocked that her mother was not concerned over her attire. I have 2 beautiful daughters in their 20's that dress in the current styles but respect their bodies and don't feel the need to draw inappropriate attention to themselves by exposing to much skin. Lets face it clothing does make a statement and what it says can affect those around it. Well done, Southwest, its time somebody showed some common sense and raised the standard.

Southwest -- you are looking incredibly stupid on this. Rather than dig your hole deeper, as you seem to be doing here, why not show some class (and some brains) and apologize?

When you do something stupid, the best move is to admit it, learn from it, and move on. Stonewalling just makes you look stupider and keeps the damage growing.

I would boycott your airline until you apologize, but I don't fly with you anyway because of your equally stupid boarding process.

I will NEVER be flying your LUV line out of SFO
if you are going to have a dress code. Decided by whom?
What gives you this right. This is America.
This is 2007...get with the program.
SHAME SHAME ON YOU.
Back to the 'friendly skies' of UAL for me!

Except for one or two "anal retentive" self righteous prudes in the comments above, most of the consensus is with me. Southwest, you made yourselves look like pompous, martinetic, officious fools!

If this is your corporate policy, then you are in big trouble.

Concentrate on pleasing your customers instead of driving them away by acting like idiots.

Your solution:
1. Fire the flight attendant.
a. If that's all the judgment he/she can muster in a non-critical matter, I'd hate to see her/him try to handle a real emergency!

2. Give the passenger that complained about the young lady's attire her fare back and then discreetly ask her/him to choose a different airline in the future.
b. You don't need that type of up-tight individual ANYWHERE aboard your aircraft.

3. Concentrate on CUSTOMER SERVICE and SAFE, ON TIME ARRIVALS.

4. Remember simpler times, such a Hot Pants uniforms for flight attendants.

Sheesh!!!

Get a freakin' clue!

Ernie in Sunnyvale

Without a posted dress code the Southwest flight attendant would only have been acting reasonably if the passenger were wearing an outfit that would warrant arrest, or fine under local law. That outfit looked legal to wear in public in this country.

WhatÃ

Um... I'm about to head to the airport to board a Southwest Flight. If I don't wear socks will I be escorted off the plane for showing too much ankle?

I think I'm going to go with Southwest on this one.

Just to put some things into perspective, I'm female, and 20 years old. I fly on average about once or twice a month, with 80% of my flights on Southwest. I /never/ would wear the same clothes that I'd wear out clubbing on an airplane flight.

Wearing too-short miniskirts and refusing to cover up on an airplane creates a sanitary hazard, result in indecent exposure, and are simply inappropriate to force other passengers to endure.

Whatever happened to common sense and respect? This doesn't seem like discrimination so much as making an overblown fuss out of a very minor incident and exploitation of the media for public attention.

Here's the contract of carriage in case it was hard to dig out for some of you
it is in PDF Form:

http://southwest.com/travel_center/coc.pdf

Article 10 Part F Subsection 1 CLEARLY covers this situation look for it page 10 of the PDF File.

I am proud of the action Southwestern has taken to provide fair and clean flights. As a female if I pay for a flight I expect not to see breast or some ones tail end. It is about paying for quality flights with responsible people. I believe it is fair to offer an individual a blanket if they have no respect for the other two hundred or more paying customers. I feel as though it should stop at the check in point with signs of proper travel attire. If this kelly girl had no self respect for her own body, who is to say she would respect other paying customers. Southwestern thankyou for being the first airline in the world to step up to the plate and hold high standards.

Kudos to that flight attendant. I am 31, not old by most standards, but I think what younger people get away with calling clothes these days is near criminal. What happened to the days when people would get dressed to the nines to go on a flight? I don't want to be walking up a plane eisle and be able to see up someones skirt, underwear or not. And from the pics her skirt was short enough for that.

I am usually pretty liberal when it comes to what people wear. To each his own, but I saw this girl on the Today Show. When she sat down again, they had to blurr her crotch because that non-existent skirt rode up and showed her crotch. If it's that bad on TV, just imagine how badly she was flashing her trash all over that airplane. Seriously, she did herself no favors to help her case on the Today Show. I don't want to see the inner folds of mystery when her skirt rides up, nor do I want to sit on a seat that has had contact with her unclothed regions. And for that matter, why would you want your bare buns (or at least a thong at most in her case) on a filthy low-rent airplane seat. YOu know that skirt didn't cover that when she sat down.

This girl is a Hooter's girl, big surprise. Has anyone yet mentioned that perhaps she has alterior motives of why she is going public with her "humiliation". Perhaps her blurred "performance" is not the only "exposure" this girl wants. This just might be the ticket she needed to kick start her career (I will refrain from speculating what kind of career she seeks) That being said, I think it probably would have sufficed to throw the girl a blanket for the duration of the flight to cover her lap instead of kicking her off or making a scene. Why give her more attention.

Scott near SMF is absolutely correct:
F. Comfort and Safety - Carrier may refuse to transport or remove from the aircraft at any point any passenger in the following categories as may be necessary for the comfort or safety of such passenger or other passengers:
(1) Persons whose conduct is or has been known to be disorderly, abusive, offensive, threatening, intimidating, or violent, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or patently offensive;
NOTE: Carrier will not refuse to provide transportation to a qualified individual with a disability solely because the individualÃ

I wish you a speedy bankruptcy. Shame on you. Is Cotton Mather on your board of directors?

I don't know care what they did to her, that's her and the airline problem, if Southwest will give me a better deal and service than other airlines which usually does, then i don't have a problem, i will for sure fly with them.

Southwest has won a new customer with me!
Southwest must be like me -sick and tired of seeing women's underwear and breasts. I'm sure you are not tho'. If women want to dress to expose underwear they should not be affended when other customers complain.
She was on the Today Show and I saw the interview. She was asked to stand up and let everyone see the outfit she was wearing on the plane. When she sat down, I clearly and so did everyone else viewing the show saw her panties. The interviewer even made a comment about maybe someone could see her underclotheing and she said that she crossed her legs. Oh! That was great because now I see her butt cheek! I know exactly what the airline and other passengers were complaining about. All the comments on this blog is women who like to show themselves and men who enjoy it. It is disrepectful to women.
I majored in fashion merchandising and I love fashions. Skin is not fashion. The body covered up with its curves is much more flattering. I don't get my self-esteem from dressing so men and women will notice me. I get my stares from respect and confidence. More women need to respect themselves.
I know I will get blasted for these comments but not from people whose opinion I respect anyway.
Thanks for allowing my viewpoint. I will be watching for flights deals with Southwest in the future!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who made southwest the fashion police?There was nothing wrong with what that young lady was wearing.The fact that southwest went out of their way to mention that she works at hooters shows exactly the kind of mindset thats at work here.Shame on you southwest,I hope she sues your pants off.(not literally of course, then you couldn't fly your own airline)

Southwest Airlines Co.
Contract of Carriage-Passenger (Sixth Revised)
Page 10
(F)
Comfort and Safety-Carrier may refuse to transport or remove from the aircraft at any point any passenger in the following categories as may be necessary for the comfort or safety of such passenger or other passengers:
(1) Persons whose conduct is or has been known to be disorderly, abusive, offensive, threatening, intimidating, or viloent, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or patently offensive:

Won't ever fly Southwest again. might not have on the right cloth's. Bad move on Southwest Airlines part. should fire the one who choose to make that discision. Airlines are not our mom's and dads and don't have the right to tell anyone how to dress we live in America. I spend $10,000.00 a mo. on airline tickets Southwest won't be getting any of my money ever. I agree with Duke suit their BUTTS OFF.

Where is the SWA police when Mr. Butt Crack sits next to me and is so large he takes up a good portion of my seat? How about Mr. Belly that flashes us all when he puts his bag in the overhead? Sorry Southwest, but you lost my company's business. I don't do business with discriminatory hipocrites.

Legitimate question to the people who feel the girl's outfit was not obscene: how far would an outfit have to go before you DID consider it obscene? If having your hoo-ha visible does not count as obscene, what does?

SHAME ON SOUTHWEST...THIS IS WHY I no longer fly with you. when my grand child was 2. was crying and I asked your host for water. she took 30 minutes to get back to me. Was RUDE and nasty. and a fellow passenger gave me a bottle water for my baby.When she finally did come back with it..I wanted to tell her to shove it up where the sun does not shine but I was just so upset!!!! To this day I fly only Delta and Alaskan Airline ...your big lost becasue I must fly 20 times a year..I tell all my friends and family too.

I think Southwest owes this woman an apology. I also think the Steward in the situation needs to be counciled about how to professionally address any concerns of this nature. At the front of the plane with all passengers watching is not professional. She did not look offensive in any way. She is an attractive young woman that is dressed like any other young woman would. I can not see how that outfit could be considered inappropriate in today's society.

First, a traveler has to get to the airport at least 2 hours before flight time so that they can undress to get through security. Second, once you've gotten through security you have to wait another hour before you can board your plane. Third, after you've boarded the plane you sit on the tarmac for another 7-11 hours without water, fresh air, food and with overflowing toilets. And, the traveler pays for this privilege...apologize to the young lady. You wouldn't have embarassed a MAN that way and besides, what planet are you from? I've seen people more scantily clad going to McDonald's. I hope she sues the pants off of Southwest Airlines!

OMG she was NOT naked! She could have been wearing a a very low top but she didn't! she sat down and you didn't see anything! MY GOODNESS! Some people are just stupid. She was not at all demeaning or provacative.

KUDOS SWA!!!! As a 32 year old mother of 2 young girls I find it is too often that I have to worry about the lack of clothing they see in public. At one point in our world, one had to go seeking to fulfill their desires to see unclothed women (& men), now it surrounds us at every turn, including some religious functions. Young women should learn that the whole world was never meant to see scantily clad bodies. Our society & the media condone the attire of young women as being "the norm." A woman can cover necessary parts & be attractive in a classy way. More people need to stand up for what is morally right & what should be a higher standard. Stand your ground SWA & don't let the general public & media change your moral stance in an immoral world. We will stand behind your company & fly SWA as long you do!!

I am so outraged at the moral judgements SW seems to choose to make. Gee, if I were an airline, a strict dress code would be on top of my list of things to make right. Perhaps if SW instilled the same sense of righteousness when they picked the attitudes of their flight attendants. I remember when I last flew SW, not only did they attendant roll her eyes at every customer that made a simple request, but she responded begrudingly and often used an indifferent or rude tone. What ever happened to customer service? Perhaps, SW Airlines should focus on the better treatment of customers and the importance of service before going ahead and nitpicking what their customers should or shouldn't wear on a flight. Better yet, perhaps they should try not to sell more tickets than they have seats for on a flight. Please try to uphold a good business ethic rather than some poor judgement call on a girl's outfit.
Also, I love the added pictures of the peanuts on the side of this page. Nothing screams service like 2cent snacks - that is how much you pay for them isn't it? Which by the way, SW hasn't even bothered to serve, along with drinks, if the flight is too short or there may be some 'trubulence'.
One note of advice, you are a business and the way you treat your customers reflects the profits you make. You are not a Church, school, or a parent, or a public rule maker, so leave all your morality checks and lessons at the gate, please.

way to go. the young lady was inapproprately dressed for a public flight. stand your ground, don't give in to public (dumb) outcry. for the most part, people don't have a clue about morals or ethics in our world today. yeah, i'm one of those bitching christians, as a matter of fact i'm a christian pastor. ms. ebert needs her bottom covered when in public (maybe even spanked) her mother surely isn't as proud of her as she presented on the today show. when i fly i'll definitely use swa. again thanks for taking a stand for what is right. remember, it's never wrong to do what's right, even though it may not be the easiest route to take. maybe you should give the flight attendent a raise. ha ha. no, really, they need to be acknowledged for doing the right thing. God bless and keep up the good work. bro bill in kentucky

Way to go SWA!!! As a young (31) Christian mother with daughters, I find it refreshing that someone stood up for this issue. What some consider respectable & acceptable clothing is off by a long shot!! Our family will continue to support you & other companies that strive to make this a better world for our children to grow up in. Toughen up your policy & don't back down, it will indeed be a "bumpy flight"!!... But well worth it for our countries morals & future!!

I have flown Southwest quite a bit and generally have been very please with the service and perfmance.

Is this really an issue of attire or of customer service. I belive it is the later.

Maybe the employee was correct in addressing the concerns (complaints) of another customer. However, to do so at the expense of another paying customer certainly does not make good business sense.

Southwest had an opportunity to make both customers happy....the first by discussing the situation with the young lady (in privat) and finding a sollution and the second by sending her an apology letter (rather than a second lecture).

Southwest blew it and now will have to pay the price, one way or another. If not in some monetary settlement then by what is no doubt a PR nightmare.

As for me, I will keep flything with them....that is until they tell me my suits are not good enough :-)

Your company blew it on this one. Kayla Ebert will have her day in court.
Unfortunately, it will be the flying public that picks up the bill.
While it is admirable that you are standing behind your employee I am afraid that the decision to keep her off the flight was capricious and arbitrary.
Southwest will be lucky to settle this one out of court.

KUDOS SWA!! I am a 32 year young mother that has to worry about what our 2 daughters see EVERY single day!! It seems we can't go out anywhere without seeing some young teen or college age girl letting it all hang out in an outfit they consider to be cute. It shows the decline in our society as a whole when these outfits (or lack of) are considered acceptable. So many parents condone their daughters attire choices when they let them purchase &/or purchase it for them. They do not realize the path they are sending their daughters down. What happened to dressing with class & a touch of elegance? It's time more of us took a stand on the moral issues that face this country & quit backing down because "it's not politically correct." You have our families full support as long as you stand firm.

You are not fashion consultants. You are not hall monitors. You're a cut-rate trash airline and you obviously hire pitiful little people who need to humilate others in public. I hope she sues you into bankruptcy.

I fly SWA quite often between Tucson to Las Vegas. What this young woman was wearing was tame compared to some of the out fits I have seen on other women or even other men.

I have seen skirts/shorts on some young women getting onto a SWA flight so short you wonder why they wore anything in the first place. I have also seen some "overweight" women and men wear outfits that should just not be allowed to be seen in public.

I think SWA blew it here. If you are going to enforce a dress code, then establish that code and make absolutely sure every customer is made aware of it BEFORE they come to the airport.

If this outfit was so bad why was she not stopped before getting onto the plane. I guess associates at SWA do not always follow the same rules.... if there were any.

WOW!!

A lot of jealous women on this blog. Get over it ladies; she's hot, you're probably not, and SWA screwed up. I refuse to let an airline police dress codes or set the rules for morality. She was doing nothing wrong or illegal. if people (women) have an issue with how "ladies dress now-a-days" they should stay home pregnant and barefoot where they belong.

Funny how it's women who support the airline and oppose the passenger. Get over it!

I am 24 years old. I enjoy getting dressed up and going out just as most women my age, but sometimes it is just not appropriate.

If you watched the Today show clip, when she stands up she pulls her skirt down further and her shirt to cover up as well. It is doubtful that she did this on the flight. I think Southwest did the right thing.

They have the right to refuse service to anyone in lewd clothing, or clothing found to be inappropriate. That is part of our agreement in buying a ticket with them.

I think it was completely fair of them to ask her to cover-up more and in the end let her take the flight with a blanket. While I personally do not have a problem with her outfit, I can see how many would. If a company gets complaints they are going to do something about it and I can 100% see how they'd get complaints from other customers about what she was wearing.

Good Job Southwest and addressing the issues of your customers. You won't be losing my business. I completely see your reasons and your compromising effort is great. Thank you.

I'm not flying Southwest again

Well, it looks like I am the only young, working mother in this entire country that was proud of Southwest Airlines. I think it is my "right" not to be assaulted by someone's elses "right" to expose themselves. Call it old-school, old-fashioned- I believe in modesty. Guys cheer it, want it and call out for more exposure. Girls flaunt it, expose it and use it whenever they can. How sad that she has to "sue" for her own lack of modesty and lack of good taste. I know, I know- it's everyone else's fault that she was dressed that way- surely not her own. We are supposed to tolerate those who are "expressing" themselves- but no tolerance is given to those who don't believe in that expression/lack of modesty. Clearly a one-sided tolerance.