I think the pilot was pretty unprofessional and in most cases it should be left to the flight attendants to sort out an attire issue. It seems a little below a pilots role to worry about what someones wearing. Obviously it's his flight and he has the final say but to come off the flight deck for someone wearing shorts? Sorta like a doctor leaving the O.R. to fill a prescription. And he lost his cool? The pilots I know are cool-calm all the time, ice cold. If a guy in shorts can set him off, should he be flying?

Regarding attire in business and first...

I fly international from Australia often (US, HK, London, China) and I think it's ok to change into some form of sleepwear if it's an overnight flight and you're planning to sleep.

I hear ya on the planes being hot-as... I use a thin black Adidas track suit (pants and top) and only change after the meal service, before bed. If it's a domestic or a day flight then I think it's more appropriate to stay in business / first class attire.

I think the shorts are over the line, just get some thin track pants. No one wants to see your legs, even if it's only going to and from the lav.


All in all I think it's pretty sad the way people dress in biz and first. Jeans are OK these days but they should be the nicer dressy style ones they have now. Also, put on a button up collared shirt, no excuse for a t-shirt or polo.

No trainers (tennis shoes) either. I'm american myself but what is it with the middle aged american guys and the white New Balance or Costco Court Classic shoes? It's like the un-offical uniform (old jeans, white trainers and a vendor-logo polo shirt).

It didn't used to bother me as much, but after living out of the U.S. for a few years you realize the rest of the world dresses a little more to the occasion.
It doesn't take much effort to look up to date and nice.

Welcome to FT, tkruger206!

It's truly sad that people actually care what other people wear. Sorry, but if what I wear is a problem, it's your problem, not mine. Collared shirts are inherently uncomfortable, so I'm not about to wear one just to please another passenger. And I only wear dress shoes when I go dancing.

Where should they wear their speedos? In the usual position, of course. Not as headgear, please.

At least it wasn't a tank top. I hate when people wear that on planes.

Would certainly make it much easier going through those security checkpoints.

Why do so many people here have nothing better to do then to check out and complain what others are wearing ?
I don't care and usually don't even bother looking who is flying on the same plane and could care less what clothes they have on.
If somebody's dress code bothers you look away.

Not inconvenient but merely impossible. Grabbing a fire extinguisher and clubbing the OP that would be 'battery' in Switzerland. Softly poking someone's belly without any hope of finding forensic evidence of the action would a best trigger an alienated smile from the authorities and at worst an in-depth psychiatric evaluation if you are fit fly.Yes ... and this is on the way to Australia, so it qualifies as perfectly businessy attire, I reckon.
We had numerous threads on channels being shut down because owner of kids being offended by actions depicted in some movie.

regardless if the pilot thought the traveler was a non-rev, the pilots or flight attendants are not given the right to make sure non-rev dress codes are followed. That policy is given to the gate agent.

And starting October 1, the dress code on UA basically goes away for non-rev travel as it merges with the current CO dress code. (however, track suits from GLEE are still not allowed)

I'm surprised to see the number of comments on my problem.

The cops were clearly unsure if they even had jurisdiction, and I didn't know either. One of my colleagues opined that since we were past outbound passport checks, that US law would govern. And another passenger pointed out that just recently a Chicago-based lawfirm is suing Qantas for a flight that had mechanical problems that scared the hell out of the passengers - IN AUSTRALIA. In any event I wanted to be sure that the pilot was identified, for as already pointed out, any physical contact is a battery.

The agents in GVA are "rentals" from Swissair, and I never saw any UA attired agent anywhere, so I didn't bother to ask for one. And the pilot's eyes made it clear that he wasn't in the mood to be questioned on the issue. I quickly decided my best course of action would be on the ground at IAD.

And, like most 767's in my experience, the temperature was very warm the whole flight. Even more so with me "in the bag", so to speak.

No "free" ticket. Just a company (MY company) purchased ticket with a SWU burned to upgrade.

It was exactly this thought that caused me to acquiesce to this captain's demand so quickly. Overseas in a foreign airport with no UA employees readily available, plane ready to depart, and a captain who had already "baited" me by poking me made any actions by me more like Custer's last stand.

One other interesting point - the immigration line on arrival at IAD was extremely long at this time of day, and of course the crew uses a special line to bypass the passenger queue. I was able to bypass the queue and get to the police prior to the crew coming the immigration because I hold an APEC card that utilizes the same bypass lane. It would have been very difficult to find any UA management or police until one gets thru the immigration lines.

So women shouldn't wear skirts? Or you think every one objects to male legs but not female legs?

Re: the trainers. My feet swell on longhauls. I'm not spending serious money on a pair of good shoes that are over-sized enough for a flight but too loose to wear on the street. I compromise on trainers.

You beat me to it. Speedos = fast frisk at the checkpoint!

(I don't know why, but I think even the most hard-core gropers might be put off by the 'eew' in-your-face speedo factor)

Last I checked there wasn't an official dress code. Dress to impress if it makes you comfortable, dress with no stress if it does the same. You should be able to dress as you wish as long as
1) Not indecent
2) No odors
3) Not noisy
4) No intentionally offense words/pictures/logos
If the pilot doesn't like it, it's fair for him to mention it, but it's not fair for him to force it. Show me an FAA regulation saying business casual for F. Poking is out of line, but I doubt trying to press charges would get you anywhere, it's probably better to keep it internal to United for max value on your compensation. And it's very likely you will get decent compensation if you push it. Try to get the pilot fired though, I'm sure word would spread in the pilot ranks and that'd help spare the rest of us an experience like this.

Thanks for following up, so what do you intend to do next? Personally I would pursue a criminal complaint, I have no doubt whatsoever that if you had poked the captain he'd have had you arrested and sooner or later these people need to get it through their over inflated heads: they are not special and not above the law. Period.

This morning early (the whole incident has had me all agitated since it happened) I wrote Tilton and another senior UA management employee with a long explanation of the incident, as well as my Chicago phone contact. I've heard nothing today, so I'm planning to follow up tomorrow on the phone (if I can find a number that actually gets to management employees in Chicago).

I don't recall anyone saying it was either soft or in the belly. I pictured more a firm poke to the chest, with definite intent to cause discomfort.

Someone in this event is definitely due for a phychiatric examination (and anger management classes), and it's not the passenger.

I'd ease up on the whole poking thing. While I suppose it technically could be called battery (and I hope you have witnesses), if I were called to jury duty to find a case involving a passenger whining about being poked with a finger, I'd probably acquit just because of the annoyance. Just focus on the actual part, the clothing, maybe the poke thing (again, only if you have a witness willing to back you up) only parenthetically.

But if I were UA I would probably tell you it is the captains ship, and if he thought your dress was inappropriate, we back him up.