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Gate Agent Denied Boarding for NonRev Women Wearing Leggings

Gate Agent Denied Boarding for NonRev Women Wearing Leggings

Old Mar 28, 2017, 1:22 pm
  #301  
 
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I think this is a good lesson for UA and anyone. "Think before you speak!" Twitter can be a great tool to get information out to the public but it is just as easy to dig yourself into a hole. Sometimes I wonder if UA's twitter is just some guy tapping away on his phone versus having everything get checked
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 1:22 pm
  #302  
 
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Originally Posted by satish_ny
Have you posted that as a justification of United's sexist and biased dress code? Is that dress code published? Is there one for male non-revs?
You say it's sexist and biased. UA doesn't allow stretchy pants.* So for men that would fall under sweatpants and leggings would be the female equivalent. So if UA deems that cotton stretchy pants are unacceptable to both sexes how is it biased?

A lot of people raised the issue of the Dad wearing shorts. Well guess what women can wear shorts too.....so it's not like men are held to different standards.

The official policy (below) actually isn't gender specific...which gets into other issues which I won't bring into this.

The following attire is unacceptable in any cabin but is not limited to:
Any attire that reveals a midriff
Attire that reveals any type of undergarments
Attire that is designated as sleepwear, underwear or swim attire
Mini skirts
Shorts that are more than three inches above the knee when in a standing position
Form-fitting lycra/spandex tops, pants and dresses
Attire that has offensive and/or derogatory terminology or graphics
Attire that is excessively dirty or has holes/tears
Any attire that is provocative, inappropriately revealing, or see-through
Bare feet
Beach-type, rubber flip-flops

*It doesn't specifically say sweatpants but there is another list that says they aren't acceptable.

Fail to see how this is such a Puritanical policy that people are outraged over.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 1:27 pm
  #303  
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Originally Posted by satish_ny
... Is that dress code published? Is there one for male non-revs?
There is a single unisex "pass rider" / "non-rev" dress

For UA's dress code

For DL's

for AA's

For SouthWest's
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 1:50 pm
  #304  
 
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Originally Posted by eng3
I think this is a good lesson for UA and anyone. "Think before you speak!" Twitter can be a great tool to get information out to the public but it is just as easy to dig yourself into a hole. Sometimes I wonder if UA's twitter is just some guy tapping away on his phone versus having everything get checked
I think Twitter is a tool that's basically perfect for manipulation. A few hundred people on Twitter can shape a narrative which is then parroted by the news media. Most "outrages" on Twitter mean absolutely nothing to the vast majority of people. In fact, I doubt most people have even heard of this story.

Companies often are too easily intimidated by a few very loud voices on outlets like Twitter.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 2:21 pm
  #305  
 
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I think the big takeaway for UA here is to revise their policies on how to notify passengers that they are being denied boarding due to lack of adherence to the pass-riding dress code.

This whole thing could have been avoided had UA escorted the pass riders to a private area to explain to them why they were being denied boarding. The rules for non-rev flying are very different than revenue flying. I cannot believe it has taken until now for something like this to occur.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 2:27 pm
  #306  
 
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Originally Posted by Ber2dca
I think Twitter is a tool that's basically perfect for manipulation. A few hundred people on Twitter can shape a narrative which is then parroted by the news media. Most "outrages" on Twitter mean absolutely nothing to the vast majority of people. In fact, I doubt most people have even heard of this story.

Companies often are too easily intimidated by a few very loud voices on outlets like Twitter.
twitter has been proven in the past to be an unreliable source of information. This incident is no exception. If anyone believes what they read on this medium, they get what they deserve

BTW: Where IS Shannon Watts now that we need her? Has she posted a correction/clarification or made any retraction of her mistake?

Last edited by Allan38103; Mar 28, 2017 at 2:44 pm
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 2:46 pm
  #307  
 
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Originally Posted by qukslvr619
UA doesn't allow stretchy pants.* So for men that would fall under sweatpants and leggings would be the female equivalent. So if UA deems that cotton stretchy pants are unacceptable to both sexes how is it biased?

....
The official policy (below) ...

Form-fitting lycra/spandex tops, pants and dresses
Not to pick on you, but you (and others) are making some big, big leaps. The policy bans "form-fitting lycra/spandex tops, pants and dresses"

That is not cotton stretchy pants or "sweatpants". Nor is it the "leggins" my 10 year old wears: http://athleta.gap.com/webcontent/00...cn12578506.jpg

Perhaps the young/teen pass-holders were wearing torn/ripped lycra that was very revealing, but it is hard for me to get worked up over "leggins" which is all that any of us know. And for United to make its stand for propriety at "leggings" was really stupid. @:-)
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 3:01 pm
  #308  
 
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Originally Posted by spin88
Not to pick on you, but you (and others) are making some big, big leaps. The policy bans "form-fitting lycra/spandex tops, pants and dresses"

That is not cotton stretchy pants or "sweatpants". Nor is it the "leggins" my 10 year old wears: http://athleta.gap.com/webcontent/00...cn12578506.jpg

Perhaps the young/teen pass-holders were wearing torn/ripped lycra that was very revealing, but it is hard for me to get worked up over "leggins" which is all that any of us know. And for United to make its stand for propriety at "leggings" was really stupid. @:-)
After I posted that, I realized that it didn't specifically address sweatpants, but I do recall the UA policy used to say something along the lines of
-sweatpants or spandex-style pants

I was mainly trying to highlight the fact that I don't think the dresscode policy has an intentional bias or double standard as some have suggested.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 3:20 pm
  #309  
 
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The yoga pants that have become very fashionable in yuppie circles are certainly very, very form-fitting and look like spandex to me. They are of course often intended to show off the athletic, trim physique of the wearer. I don't know if it can be considered appropriate attire. Would they let a male non-rev fly wearing bicycle shorts? Probably not.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 3:37 pm
  #310  
 
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
There is a single unisex "pass rider" / "non-rev" dress

For UA's dress code

For DL's

for AA's

For SouthWest's
And I notice that of the four, DL's leaves the most room for discretion, which I still think is the appropriate way to go, because it leaves room for changing trends.

But why are pass riders not allowed on flights to Cuba?
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 3:46 pm
  #311  
 
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Originally Posted by jamar
And I notice that of the four, DL's leaves the most room for discretion, which I still think is the appropriate way to go, because it leaves room for changing trends.

But why are pass riders not allowed on flights to Cuba?
It also leaves you at the mercy of the gate agent. As someone that does do this I would prefer UAL's iron fast verson over what the agent says goes approach.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 3:47 pm
  #312  
 
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Originally Posted by jamar
And I notice that of the four, DL's leaves the most room for discretion, which I still think is the appropriate way to go, because it leaves room for changing trends.

But why are pass riders not allowed on flights to Cuba?
Delta bans non rev travel to Cuba because non rev travel is only for leisure, and tourism isn't an acceptable reason to travel to Cuba.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 3:47 pm
  #313  
 
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Originally Posted by ROCAT
It also leaves you at the mercy of the gate agent. As someone that does do this I would prefer UAL's iron fast verson over what the agent says goes approach.
Well, United's policy still indicates that the agent has the final say. Just that there are more rules on top of "agent's discretion".
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 3:49 pm
  #314  
 
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Originally Posted by spin88
Not to pick on you, but you (and others) are making some big, big leaps. The policy bans "form-fitting lycra/spandex tops, pants and dresses"

That is not cotton stretchy pants or "sweatpants". Nor is it the "leggins" my 10 year old wears: http://athleta.gap.com/webcontent/00...cn12578506.jpg

Perhaps the young/teen pass-holders were wearing torn/ripped lycra that was very revealing, but it is hard for me to get worked up over "leggins" which is all that any of us know. And for United to make its stand for propriety at "leggings" was really stupid. @:-)
I can see you're getting very "legal" with the way folks here are choosing to see what Lycra/Spandex is. Lycra and Spandex are actually brand names.

Spandex, Lycra or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable than natural rubber. It is a polyester-polyurethane copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia. (Spandex Wikipedia)

Modern leggings are typically made from a blend of lycra (also known as spandex), with cotton, polyester, or nylon, but can also be made from wool, silk, and other materials. Leggings are available in a multitude of colors and decorative designs. (leggings Wikipedia)

So unless you expect that the rules only apply to the called out name brands Lyrca/Spandex, sweatpants and leggings can be made of the those materials.....cheers.
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Old Mar 28, 2017, 3:53 pm
  #315  
 
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Originally Posted by jamar
Well, United's policy still indicates that the agent has the final say. Just that there are more rules on top of "agent's discretion".
The people I talk with at UAL seem to have to play less dress code games then the rest of us. If UALs agents steer too far from the list they can get in truble, with everyone else it really is completely up to agents and you have no real ability to send internal complaints, which can quickly turn into a gotcha game to get onto the flight.
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