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Hot or not? JetBlue decides for flight attendant
JetBlue may not comment on litigation, as it told USA Today, but clearly flight attendant attire is fair game. The airline is being sued by Karin Keegan. In what appears to be the friendly skies' version of "put out or get out," Keegan was not allowed to board a JetBlue flight because she wasn't dressed provocatively enough. After ditching her threads for something she felt would be more consistent with JetBlue's unusual "standards," Keegan was told that she had missed her flight ... and that she should have dressed the part of a sexy flight attendant from the start.
Keegan was flying JetBlue because of an agreement the airline has with her employer (Delta), under which Delta employees are ferried among locations. The altercation occurred in October 2007. The flight attendant complained to the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, which gave her a "right to sue" letter late last year. Though not an employee of JetBlue, the law gives her the right "sue over workplace harassment even when they are not directly employed by the alleged harasser," according to reporting by USA Today.
JetBlue's recent spanking in Connecticut small claims court is nothing compared to this debacle, which is headed for federal court. If the airline is looking for some form of precedent to cite, it may want to consider France's advances in attire and accommodation.
Maybe a scantily clad workforce is JetBlue's way of making a nine-hour stint on the runway more bearable for passengers, but c'mon guys, there has to be a better way.
[Via USA Today]
[Picture via The Sun]
Filed under: Activism, North America, United States, Airlines, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Bert Jan 20th 2009 9:16PM
No one... NO ONE, should be denied should be denied the right to wear the clothing the wear. Be it for work, connected to work, for personal or other.
Jennifer Jan 22nd 2009 6:32AM
According to the original article a male flight attendant would not let her board until she changed into something that was more provocative (he allowed flight attendants with less seniority board.) She was working NOT flying stand by. After she changed into a lower cut top, tighter pants and added more make-up she was told it was too late and that she should have been dressed that way to begin with. She is losing out on income because she can not fly this route because she fears more harassment from this flight attendant. If what she says is true then she does, in fact, have a case.
skygoddess Jan 21st 2009 6:57AM
Most agreements between airlines for "off line" (an airline employee flying on another airline) traveling clearly states that you need to be dressed in your company's complete uniform or business casual. Airlines have the right to deny boarding if the guidelines are not met. She should have been dressed appropriately for a FREE ride to work!
Alec L Jan 21st 2009 7:33AM
It doesn't say whether she was dressed in a flight attendant uniform or normal clothes. Sure, airlines have a right to deny boarding, but come on. They didn't turn her away because her biz-cazh khakis weren't up to snuff.
Alec L Jan 21st 2009 7:27AM
It doesn't say whether she was dressed in a flight attendant uniform or normal clothes. Sure, airlines have a right to deny boarding, but come on. They didn't turn her away because her biz-cazh khakis weren't up to snuff.
Alec L
http://eagleandthebear.wordpress.com/
Emland Jan 21st 2009 9:01AM
I've heard of airlines catching hell for telling girls to cover up before boarding, but if I'm reading this right JetBlue wouldn't allow her to board because she wasn't sexy enough. Is JetBlue the Hooters of the airline industry? Seems to me they are beggin for a lawsuit.
Maybe I am just reading this wrong.
Sure Jan 21st 2009 1:22PM
No you're reading the article right. The article is misleading. She probably showed up in less than business casual and was told she couldn't board her *free* flight until she changed into approved attire. Sounds like the article is the one that needed a little "spicing up".
tatiana Jan 21st 2009 11:06AM
As mentioned above, there is a dress code in order to fly standby on other airlines you do not work for. You have to be in uniform or at least business casual. Which means no jeans, tights, leggings, tank tops, sandals, and so forth. You also have to be well groomed. So if she was looking like she just rolled out of bed then yeah, maybe she was asked to go freshen up and look more presentable.
Heather Poole Jan 21st 2009 11:32AM
I just don't see how this happened, nor can I imagine it happening. It's so over the top I have to laugh. Agents can deny boarding to a flight attendant if not dressed appropriately, but not for dressing seductively...
Deny Karin Keegan Jan 21st 2009 3:55PM
Tom Johansmeyer is clearly trying to turn nothing into something. Does anyone really thing a company, would tell someone you’re not sexy enough to fly? Hopefully you have intelligence unlike tom. Here is the deal, airlines have dress codes for pilots and flight attendants that use the privilege (that is right, it is a privilege not a right) to fly for free to and from their work. 99.9% jumpseaters understand this and respect it. It sounds like Karin Keegan showed up not dressed appropriately, was told if she wanted to fly for FREE to change her look, to look more appropriately, got pissy and decided to try to ruin it for the 99.9% of the people that follow rules that allow them to get home to family for free. Nice work Karin Keegan and tom did you call in sick on ethical journalism day at our community college.
St Jan 21st 2009 8:50PM
Well, you are most likely not a woman yourself. Sexual harrasment exists, and I find this very believable. Lots of women, myself included, have been told they don't look 'sexy enough' on the job- I personally was once ordered to wear shorter skirts and 'more appealing and revealing' clothing while working retail and I was perfectly well presented, just not dressed like a whore! Lots of women have experienced this and worse, and you are obviously very out of touch.
sharon Jan 21st 2009 8:48PM
I am sorry but when my kids fly with me I dont want them seeing some womans ass or boobs. They are kids and should not be exposed to it.
Opinion7 Jan 22nd 2009 6:31AM
Kids or Not...........I as an adult do not wish to see some womans ass, naval or boobs at any time. Women have reached a place where they are trying to be in competition with the local whores with regard to how they dress. Men still wear suit and ties.....and women now wear little to be left to the imagination. And they expect equality? Never will happen as long as they stoop to the level of whores.
Anon Jan 22nd 2009 7:53AM
I understand the need of airlines to have people who are rep.s dressed correctly, but this to me smacks of sexism, wheather by the airline or by this moron male flight attendant who actually denied boarding, but I would also say that I think airlines do make efforts to dress women flight att.'s in a sexual way, and that clearly this is improper. Also, when you work for any company, and have to wear a uniform for your job, the company can change that uniform while you work and force you to wear something that you never thought you would have to when applied for and got the job. That to me, is what clearly makes this sexual harrassment, and anyone who denies this or says it is not is either a fool or a tool.
Sherri Jan 21st 2009 8:48PM
I don't care what they wear. I love flying JetBlue.
unknown Jan 21st 2009 8:49PM
I HIGHLY doubt that was the issue. I happen to work for one of the airlines listed above, and we're not even allowed to fly standby if we are wearing flip flops on our feet. I've seen many people be denied boarding (who were flying standby) because their outfits were TOO revealing. They were never denied boarding because their outfit wasn't sexy enough. I think it's a big crock.
Carole Jan 21st 2009 8:49PM
You mean to tell me that the airlines can tell if somebody isn't dressed properly BUT they can't tell a passenger is too fat to sit in only their purchased seat and are allowed to hang over into MY seat...pinning me to the seat under their tons of fat????? (THIS actually happened to me, and I am still steamed about it. Yes! I reported it. What was done about it? ZERO!!!!!) Stupidity if you ask me...
Sammie Jan 22nd 2009 11:22AM
I hear you...I was in the middle seat in the middle seats of a plane. First a fat lady sat down next to me on one side and I'm getting pissed cause she's crowding me. Then an even fatter man sits on the other side and he smelled. I was on a trans-atlantic flight and refused to sit there. I made them either find me another seat or put me on another plane. They found me another seat. I think everyone should start to refuse to sit in a seat that is being overrun by an obese person next to them. Only then will the airlines take any action.
Carole Jan 22nd 2009 11:51AM
Sammie:
That was how I was seated also...Now I am not a skinny gal but I DO fit in one seat with a little room to spare so I don't spill over on either side...The flight attendant saw that she wasn't going to fit but looked the other way..I had never had this experience before and didn't know what to do..Unfortunately, the plane was full and ready for takeoff before I could get the attention of a flight attendant so I couldn't ask for another seat or another flight...AND actually they should have told HER that she needed to alit and go purchase another seat for herself...I will NEVER fly that airline again and I tell everybody I can the name of it and my experience...It is hard times for airllines today and unsatisfied customers aren't really good advertisement for those that remain...THIS was NOT Blue, however......
mavcal Jan 21st 2009 8:59PM
Women need to wake up and smell the money. Economics runs the world. While women are doing rah, rah's for professional sports teams whose members make multi-million dollars, what are these pomp-pomp girls making? Who runs the major corporations and businesses - men. Men will reduce women to sex objects when it please them to do so. Women need to start thinking "show me the money" instead of being handmaidens. Look at what they did to Hillary Clinton - sexist insults and smears. Did they do this to Obama? No. Now whose running the country? Women need to think economics.