No leggings on flights? Celebs blast United for 'terrible' dress code
For many women, leggings are a staple of their jet-setting uniform. So it came as a surprise to athleisure lovers on Twitter that United Airlines prevented two girls from boarding a flight Sunday from Denver to Minneapolis, just because they were wearing spandex.
The incident captured the attention of social media after it was witnessed by the founder of Moms Demand Action, Shannon Watts, who tweeted that two girls in "normal and appropriate" leggings were prevented from boarding, while a third pulled on a dress over her leggings before being allowed on the plane. United's reason for for denying them entry? The girls "were United pass riders who were not in compliance with our dress code policy for company benefit travel."
Cue the Twitter outrage from celebrities who deemed that policy sexist, outdated and unfair. (United says that ticketed passengers, however, are allowed to wear leggings on flights.)
Oscar winner Patricia Arquette tweeted at the airline, saying, "This is terrible," and asking, "Do you have a secondary fail safe from a supervisor to make these calls?" United's reply didn't earn them many fans: "Casual attire is allowed as long as it looks neat and is in good taste for the local environment."
Actor William Shatner noted that an anti-leggings ruling is a problem for him, too.
Comedian Sarah Silverman wrote that she's boycotting United, because the airline's attire rules are much stricter on women than men.
Stars including LeVar Burton and Keegan Allen also tweeted directly to United, complaining that the attire rules are unjust, and Seth Rogen sarcastically tweeted that United is "Cool, right?" because the airline is just "trying to police the attire of the daughters of our employees!"
Supermodel Chrissy Teigen chimed in, "I have flown united before with literally no pants on. Just a top as a dress. Next time I will wear only jeans and a scarf."
Comic Cameron Esposito joked that the incident was a "true action thriller" called "Leggings on a Plane."
To make matters worse for United, a Twitter user found a 2016 United ad that featured a model in yoga pants.
In a statement shared with USA TODAY Sunday night, United Airlines' public relations manager Jonathan Guerin explained that the girls banned from flying were "pass riders," relatives or friends of employees who get the privilege of free or discounted air travel.
"And like most companies, we have a dress code that we ask employees and pass riders to follow. The passengers this morning were United pass riders and not in compliance with our dress code for company benefit travel. We regularly remind our employees that when they place a family member or friend on a flight for free as a standby passenger, they need to follow our dress code," he said. "To our regular customers, your leggings are welcome."
The fleet and hubs of United Airlines, by the numbers
