Rumor has it that this blog has been kind of busy with comments lately. Seriously, I know that many of you have posted some pretty passionate comments on the subject of Kyla Ebberts and "traveling attire" in general, and we have been listening. I thank each of you for sharing your thoughts, and I want you to know that we haven't been skirting the issue.
This situation involved a judgment call for sure. These situations are subjective, and not everyone holds the same opinions. We serve more than 96 million Customers a year; and every now and then, we'll have a situation that takes on a life of its own. This was the case here.
We always want to apologize if we offend any of our Customers, and we also support our Employees abilities to make decisions. We are apologizing to Kyla, in typical Southwest style, and I hope you will click here to read about it.
Many, many of you on both sides of this issue have asked about a dress code. We do have a dress code for our Employees who use their travel benefits, but we do not have a dress code for our paying Customers. Our job is not to be the fashion police; our job is to take care of our Customers and ensure they have a safe flight.
We are proud of our past that included hot pants and we are proud of our future, and I want all of you to be part of that future.
Comments
And they let lady gaga on wearing bra, underwear and handcuffs. I'd sue the airlines until I had free flights for life.
why don't you address your pilots sleeping with the flight attendants???? Shocked you don't have a policy against having sexual relationships with co-workers
what a joke..she is stupid... you provide a service..you can deny anyone to fly as you wish.. as long as it is not racial.
she is a joke....I feel most people feel the same.....Just the media trying to get a story... go southwest.
NO IT IS NOT HER RIGHT. THE AIRLINES HAS NOT OBLIGATION TO ACCOMANDATE HER...THEY CAN SAY NO IF THEY DESIRE.....I AM A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT AND I BELIEVE SHE CAN BE DENIED.... THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTY.....IF SOMEONE DISAGREES....IT IS DISCRIMATION. SCREW THAT....IF SHE IS A CUSTOMER SHE CAN BE DENIED
I cannot believe Southwest would not allow Kyla to board a plane because of what she's wearing. It is unbelievable. She didn't break any laws, she has all her undergarments on and her bare butt wasn't on the seats (so not a hygiene problem) and even if it is, she's got undies on. So what's the big deal? I'm sorry, but if I were one of the passengers, I would have lectured the flight attendent back. What she's wearing is nothing compared to some of the other clothing that some college students wear these days. This is America and we have the freedom to wear what we want and say what we want as long as we're not breaking the pre-determined laws of our country. I hope she sues the crap out of Southwest. I fly on southwest a lot too, but not anymore. Very disappointing.
Dear friends,
We regularly fly home to see friends and family in Minneapolis, and now have business reasons to travel there as well. Northwest Airlines has an increasing monopoly on the air travel in and out of that city. Currently the cheapest 21 day advance notice, nonstop ticket is over $500.00 between Austin, TX and Minneapolis.
If anyone out there reads this that is in the decision-making position for Southwest Airlines , please consider the addition of Minneapolis to your route map . With major companies such as 3-M and Motorola having workforces in both cities, it is increasingly challenging and expensive to fly between these two cities. Given southwest's reputation of helping the consumer through competitive pricing , I see this not only is a wise business move, but as a great public relations opportunity .
Thank you in advance for your consideration, and I look forward to flying Southwest Airlines between Austin, TX and Minneapolis.
What people seem to miss in all of this is the following:
If all it takes to get kicked off a flight is that someone complains, then why does it need to be limited to people with "too little" clothing? How many men board planes with pants so large that you see their underwear? How many women board planes covering their heads? How many people board planes and are just plain messy?
I support a dress code for all, personally. While I would prefer to sit next to a beautiful woman, I will give that up if I don't have to sit next to another person that looks like they slept on the street the night before and smells like they bathed last year.
Can someone tell me why an A-List person get a higher boarding number than a person with no status?
I checked in exactly 24 hour in advance and I got an A-50. I understand that 1-15 are reserved for Business select tickets, but where are other 34 peoples coming from? This doesn't happen just once but almost every weeks for me since the Southwest changed the boarding procedures.
The new boarding (take a seat) procedure you have is GREAT. Who ever convinced you to go to this should be showered with gifts everytime they are in an airport. Instead of grabing a Hot Dog my wife and I were able to sit down and have a relaxing meal and not worry where were we end up in the line.
This has to increase the revenue of all the Shops and Resturants in the airports.
Please tell the people who put this in place thank you for making travel on SWA easier and less stressful.
Aparently you still don't get it.
I have seen the photos of what she was wearing and not yet seen an explanation of WHY someone took it on themselves to make up rules on the spot. This was not attire that would get a second look from most people.
Maybe you should compare it with some of your past uniforms.
www.businesstravellogue.com/accommodation/southwest-airlines-dress-code....
If you have a Muslim employee, can they kick off any woman without a head covering? Once you have taken people's money, changing the rules doesn't work.
If you say you don't have a dress code, then you have to accept anything that will not get people arrested. If you want a dress code, just state it. Then you are covered.
Then to add additional insult to this you create a sleazy ad campaign built around double entendres.
Just a few comments, coming from a regular frequent Southwest flier.
1. The public hasn't been presented with all of the facts of the case. It is believed that on the Southwest flight Kyla was actually wearing a slightly modified version of the clothing she wore later on the Today show.
2. Good or bad press for a company is often positive. A business wants free advertising. The vast majority of customers flying Southwest or any airline will dress in a manner unlikely to provoke others to the point of comment. This incident of Southwest removing a passenger due to attire does not directly affect those people.
3. Of the previous comments on the blog from individuals who will no longer be choosing Southwest as their airline, I am actually grateful as a fellow passenger. If this sort of situation leads you to such an emotional response that sends you to Delta, then that simply means I have very little chance of sitting next to you on future flights. I'd much prefer to sit next to a woman in a short skirt than the type of person that over-reacts in such a way.
4. The US, as we know, is a culture of suing and legal recourse. Everyone is looking to make some money in the easiest way possible. Everyone is a victim. An individual is not accountable for their actions. This behavior is normal, although often over the top. Fortunately Kyla was able to raise enough publicity herself to become noticed by Playboy, no doubt achieving a life's dream. Should instead she be thanking Southwest for helping raise her profile...?
5. Kyla was quoted as being 'traumatized' by the Southwest event. To quote The American Heritage Dictionary:
"Trauma - An emotional wound or shock that creates substantial, lasting damage to the psychological development of a person, often leading to neurosis."
I believe Kyla's myspace page and her Playboy shoot may provide adequate indication as to her personality/psychological state both before and after the case with Southwest.
I'd personally like to thank Southwest for the years of trouble free, and even pleasant flying I've had the fortune of undertaking. When I need to get to A to B, it does the job. The most unpleasant part of flying is typically the other inconsiderate and ignorant passengers. They exist on all airlines, but headphones usually sort that issue out.