Jeans in First - Threatened to be moved to coach
 

Is this a new policy for paying customers?

My wife is Silver with US, and was flying PDX-PHL last night on the redeye (flight 303, operated by America West). Her ticket was for coach, but scored the all-important upgrade for a redeye flight (yay!).

However, once on the plane, she gets up to use the restroom. Upon leaving the restroom, the flight attendant stops here and makes the statement (and I quote my wife):

"She (the FA) said, 'You're not allowed to be wearing jeans in First Class. I normally remove people and reseat them in coach for this. However, I'm going to let it slide just this once, but be sure you don't wear them next time.' As we were deplaning shortly after 7:00 AM, the same FA mentioned to me 'Be sure to remember next time! No jeans!' "

I'm not sure how to react, and neither is my wife. Is this the policy? Neither of us work for US; we're just simply paying customers, so the non-rev dress code doesn't apply here.

Thoughts? Is this to be expected? Is this policy, or just an over-reaching FA?

That's insane. The only dress code that I know of is for US employees sitting in First. You're a paying customer, you could show up with only a barrel and black straps and they should let you on the plane. I'd report that issue to Customer Service immediately.

I guess you could show up wearing shorts next time. They're not jeans, after all.

Seriously, I'm sure we could all cite examples of slovenly people on planes, but I don't think wearing jeans on a red-eye is a cardinal sin. I think the FA was out-of-bounds.

I wear jeans in first on most of my flights and have never had a problem. I would like to know also if this is policy.

The only scenario that makes sense to me is that the FA thought the OP's wife was a non-rev for some reason.

Perhaps the seat your wife scored was originally assigned to a non-rev and the FA was working off an old manifest.

It's absolutely not US policy to remove paying pax from F for not adhering to some sort of dress code (which does not exist). I often fly in F (on both the East and West sides), and wear jeans (although look presentable), and I've never once had a FA make a comment to me.

This makes me think that the FA thought your wife was a non rev. Not sure why though? :confused:

for all the FC flights i've taken, i've only worn sweatpants....so, yeah, something is a bit fishy here.

I agree -- that's the only reasonable explanation, even though making that assumption and making a statement like that to a F passenger without checking it out first is completely unreasonable.

But is the dress code rule even still in effect for non-revs?

I can't get over the image of Steve-O sitting in First Class in a jock strap.

I frequently wear jeans in F. I suspect that she didn't want to create a scene, but did your wife happen to seek clarification by identifying herself as a revenue PAX? I strongly suspect that the FA mistook her for a non-rev. Perhaps she had an incorrect/outdated manifest or some such.

Another possible (and I'm really speculating) explanation would be she was traveling on an IATA discount. This would only happen if she booked thru an agent and obtained a discount (either intentionally or thru the agent's mistake). It is my understanding that on some carriers travel agents using an industry discount to travel in F are usually asked to abide by a dress code similar to non-revs.

Yes, it had to be one of those or a loony FA. I would have responded, had I been in that situation, by saying, "but this really isnt first class now is it?"

I'd like to see an FA try to comment on my wardrobe while I'm flying paid F.

My first comment would be something along the lines of "You just served me a wrapped up pizza and chilled red wine in a plastic glass, and I'm the one who's degrading the atmosphere here?"

The initial thought I had was that the FA was under the impression that my wife was a non-rev. My wife should definitely have requested clarification at the time, but the sleep-wake cycle of a redeye precluded it. I think she was just so taken aback by it, that it didn't occur to ask further.

Perhaps the letter that is being written will garner an offical response from US.

:D Perhaps the post of the day, right there.