Have you ever heard a story so mind-boggling that you almost want to believe it’s not real? It’s as if you hear it and think, “this is so dystopian, there’s no way it could happen in 2024.” Well, if you’ve ever felt that way, get ready — because we’re about to show you a proper airline horror story.
Today’s almost-unbelievable story appeared on Tara Kehidi’s (@cactusqueen2) TikTok, where she exposed Spirit Airlines’ baffling dress code after she and her friend, Portuguese reality star Teresa Araújo, were kicked off a flight. This uncalled-for incident occurred on a domestic flight from Los Angeles to New Orleans, where the two women were allegedly removed for… wearing tank tops.
That’s right — two grown women were kicked off a flight simply for wearing tank tops. According to them, the cabin was uncomfortably hot, as the air conditioning allegedly wasn’t functioning before takeoff, so they innocently took off their sweaters. But this simple act apparently transported them back to the absurd dress codes of elementary school, as their tank tops — which showed a bit of midriff — were deemed inappropriate.
As expected, the situation escalated. After the women were approached by a male flight attendant who “aggressively” demanded they put their sweaters back on, another passenger intervened. Carla Hager, noticing the absurdity of the situation, questioned the attendant about the airline’s clothing policy. When no clear explanation was given, Hager stood in solidarity with the women by also removing her sweater.
This act of support led the flight attendant to remove all three women — including Hager’s toddler — from the flight, without offering a refund. According to Kehidi, many passengers protested this irrational decision, but it made no difference. When the flight attendant was asked to clarify the airline’s clothing policy, no clear explanation was given, prompting Hager to step in and defend Araújo and Kehidi.
Despite passenger protests, the airline stood firm in its decision, and in response to Kehidi’s viral video, Spirit Airlines issued a statement acknowledging their clothing standards.
According to Spirit Airlines’ Contract of Carriage, which can be found on their website, passengers agree to the clothing standards when booking a flight. The contract essentially allows flight attendants to ask passengers “whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature,” to leave the flight in question.
Naturally, Hager, Kehidi, and Araújo dispute these claims, asserting that none of these descriptions applied to the clothing they wore — which were, once again, just tank tops. Unsurprisingly, TikTok users quickly rallied behind the women. One user commented, “The male flight attendant sounds like an incel to me!”
Some users, however, have taken on the role of devil’s advocate. “It’s not discrimination. They have dress codes for jobs, schools, and restaurants. Follow the rules, cover-up, or stay home,” one commenter commented. While we understand this sentiment — after all, there is a contract that confirms Spirit Airlines enforces a dress code during flights — it feels incredibly regressive that in 2024, an adult woman can be penalized for wearing a tank top on a flight.
This wasn’t the last update on the situation, though. Tara has thankfully been sharing semi-regular updates, though there are some aspects she cannot discuss for legal reasons. It appears they have been in contact with a lawyer to address the issue at long last, and soon we might have more information.
Teresa Araújo, the Portuguese reality star also involved in the situation, also spoke to CNN Portugal, explaining that even the police force was on their side. “The police said we shouldn’t have left the plane, that we should have waited for them to arrive, and that we should sue the airline.” Who would have thought that, in 2024, we’d still be chastising women simply for existing, right?