After a woman was forced to cover up her “inappropriate” outfit on a flight, she shares how “mortified” she was left by her experience.
21-year-old Emily O’Connor from Solihull alleged how Thomas Cook staff threatened to remove her from a flight she boarded from Birmingham to Tenerife.
In a now-viral post on Twitter, O’Connor shared how she was told to cover up by airline staff as she got on board the airplane.
According to her account, she was later told she would be removed from the plane unless she put a jacket on.
“Flying from Bham to Tenerife, Thomas Cook told me that they were going to remove me from the flight if I didn’t “cover up” as I was “causing [offense]” and was “inappropriate.” They had 4 flight staff around me to get my luggage to take me off the plane.”
“To top it off they allowed a man hurl abuse at me whilst the Flight manager and 4 air staff stood and said nothing.”
“[Just] a bit more context for those asking: wore this through the airport (security, passport control etc), boarded the plane, told to cover up by the greeting staff, sat down, flight manager and 4 flight staff said I would be removed unless I put a jacket on…”
“[I] asked the plane (as they were all listening now anyway) if I was offending anyone, no-one said a word. The manager then went to get my bag to remove me from the flight. A man then shouted “Shut up you pathetic woman. Put a f*cking jacket on”- the staff said nothing to him.”
“I was given a jacket by my cousin sitting at the front of the plane and they did not leave until I physically put it on. They made comments over the speaker about the situation and left me shaking and upset on my own.”
“It was so mortifying,” she shared with Yahoo UK.
“I was so upset and they could clearly see that yet they continued to note how inappropriate and offensive I was. I was really close to crying.”
Twitter commenters were quick to support her, saying:
“I’m crew myself and would not think twice to ask you to cover up, there is no policy on what you can and cannot wear! That is awful to see that the crew on board made you feel that way, disgusting!”
“In society do we have to conform because the minority don’t agree? anyone could complain about anyone’s outfit in that case? Leather or jeans “offending” vegans for example.”
“There’s no clothing policy for passengers on @ThomasCookUK flights, so this is just a few staff members taking it upon themselves to publicly shame a young woman.”
“The over [sexualization] of women’s bodies and [internalized] misogyny should not be a reason to intimidate and upset a young woman… especially if it was not specified in their dress code.”
“I’d get legal advice if I was you, most lawyers will listen to you if you phone them and will tell you if you have a case or not. This is outright shocking, in no way do you look “offensive” and could I definitely see my wife wearing something like that.”
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