A passenger threatened with being taken off a flight because she was not wearing a bra under her t-shirt denounced on Thursday a discriminatory “humiliation” and demanded a meeting with the boss of the American company Delta.
The incident dates back to the end of January: Lisa Archbold had just boarded a plane to connect Salt Lake City to San Francisco, when a stewardess, according to her, took her aside before takeoff, because her t-shirt showed guess the shape of her breasts and nipples.
“The stewardess told him that when passengers wear offensive or revealing clothing, Delta's official policy is to exclude them from the flight,” explained his lawyer, Gloria Allred, to the press in Los Angeles, denouncing the behavior “discriminatory”. To stay on board, this 38-year-old woman had to put a jacket over her t-shirt.
@Delta has been accused of escorting a woman off a plane in January for wearing a white T-shirt with no bra that faintly exposed the shape of her breasts and nipples. The woman says a gate agent told her it was the airline's policy to remove anyone wearing anything offensive… pic.twitter.com/0p5yvfnyqB
— Kris Adler (@KristleAdler) March 28, 2024
“Targeted and humiliated”
“I was targeted and humiliated,” said the thirty-year-old, detailing how the hostess had summoned her, then left the plane in front of the other passengers. “The helplessness was worse than the humiliation. »
Rather than filing a complaint, this DJ requests a meeting with the boss of Delta to request the modification of a policy that she considers discriminatory. According to this logic, “what will Delta do for girls under 18?” », quipped her lawyer, famous for her feminist commitment and her trials in favor of women's rights and civil rights. “At what age should a girl make sure her nipples are not visible under a t-shirt? »
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“The latest news is that the Taliban are not in charge of Delta,” said Gloria Allred.
“Male passengers are not required to cover their t-shirts with a shirt or jacket,” the lawyer continued. “They are also not required to wear a bra to board or remain on a plane and women should not be required to wear them. »
“Breasts are not weapons of war”
According to the lawyer, the American regulatory framework allows airlines to exclude a passenger from a flight only if he represents a risk to the safety of the plane or passengers. Which was not the case for Lisa Archbold.
“Neither her breasts nor those of any other woman have ever tried to take over a plane,” she recalled. “Breasts are not weapons of war and it is not a crime for a woman or girl to have them. »
Contacted by AFP, Delta indicated that it had already presented its “apologies” to this customer.