We see conflict all the time over dress codes on planes. Airlines have vague rules about inappropriate attire, and that’s often left to the discretion of gate agents or flight attendants to figure out what that means.
A former Miss Universe and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model was asked to cover up in order to be allowed to fly American Airlines, when she wasn’t even wearing the most revealing clothes on the aircraft.
Southwest Airlines kicked a Playboy Playmate off one of its flights because of her attire. This from an airline whose flight attendants used to wear hot pants, its automated ticketing machines were called “Quickies” and more recently they plastered a model in a bikini on the side of one of their 737s.
Yet these same people who are judged to be dressed inappropriately by airlines pass through TSA without incident – wearing the same clothing – every day. In fact, often going through the TSA checkpoint they’re wearing less because they have to take it off.
So I was shocked to see a woman told by TSA she was not ‘dressed appropriately’. And it was because she was wearing… a hoodie?
@fruityswagmoney @Comfrt pls sponsor me i was in tears they were so rude bc i had a hoodie on. #fyp #tsa #airport ♬ just a girl – autumnaudios
Here’s the problem:
- Hoodies are ‘bulky items of clothing’ and TSA may require you to remove those.
- But this woman didn’t have a shirt on underneath her hoodie.
- So the solution is a pat down.
TSA doesn’t do much dess code enforcement. There are only a limited number of incidents we’ve seen over clothing at checkpoints. For instance,
- A JetBlue passenger was prevented from boarding at New York JFK in 2006 for refusing to remove a t-shirt that said “We Will Not Be Silent” in English and Arabic. The case that followed settled for $240,000.
- In 2010, a passenger removed his shirt, exposing the text of the fourth amendment written on his chest. He was detained and handcuffed by TSA. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit allowed a first amendment violation claim to proceed.
- Rapper Kamaiyah was told she couldn’t proceed through security in 2018 unless she allowed TSA screening of a head covering that alarmed. She refused, and was arrested. Another head covering dispute happened in 2016 when a Sikh comedian was forced to remove his turban for screening in San Francisco.
Generally, TSA allows head coverings but says they may trigger additional screening. They don’t police attire as such. They have far less latitude to do so as a government agency. That’s left to the airlines.
Here, the woman isn’t banned from wearing a hoodie – but TSA doesn’t like it when there’s nothing on underneath because it makes their job harder.
The TSA is going beyond their mandate. With the hoodie on there was nothing to see. It is only because TSA wanted to make something out of it that it was a problem. WOW, maybe some electrical tape would have solved the problem.
Just realize when you’re going thru TSA at the airport you have to be cognizant of the situation. Translation: wear something underneath your beloved hoodie. You’re not home.
Always keep thin cheap tank top with you.
Comfirmed. This happened to me too. I was floored that hoodies aren’t considered the same as any other sweater?!
It makes their JOBS harder?
“Hoodies” are “bulkier” than jeans? Mine aren’t any thicker than some of my hood-less sweaters.
They aren’t bulkier than the hoodless sweatshirts people wear while being cleared at the walk-thru metal detectors in the country and around the world.
According to another report, she was wearing a hoodie from an “American clothing brand that creates ‘soothing, slightly weighted clothing’ for ‘comfort and calm.’” The zTSA already warns that jackets and hoodie may have to be removed, and she b!tching because her extra-heavy hoodie required extra screening. GTFU (grow the . . .).
To the person that said some of her hoodies aren’t larger than her hoodless sweaters. Did you even bother to see what this woman was wearing? It is a massive weighted soothing hoodie, why you would wear this and nothing underneath when TSA tells you that you may need to remove hoodies is ridiculous. Have some common sense people or find another way to travel.
If it was the Comfrt airplane hoodie, it isn’t weighted. It comes with a place in the hand pouch to keep your wallet and phone and the hood has an eye mask attached. She was wrong to not wear a thin tee or tank or even an athletic bra but TSA is way overstepping on it. Easy enough to wand a person or put them in the body scanner. Sometimes, I think people like showing others the “power” they have. Even those in power need to check themselves before they wreck themselves.
Nothing, nuthin, or nuttin?
I travel every other week. Flying on an airplane is not a constitutional right. It’s a privilege. You have to conform to the rules to fly. Don’t be extra or surprised when something does not go your way or you do something that conflicts with stated, printed, and easily found rules that makes your trip less enjoyable.
If you do run afoul a rule you were blissfully unaware of, take a breath, and clearly state where you are (in this instance “I don’t have anything on under this, and I need your help figuring out what to do to comply with the instruction) take a pat down or even step out of line to change clothes (assuming you have a carry on)
It’s not a big deal, it’s life. Worse things happen every day and it’s not always about you.
To show compassion for your fellow travelers it behooves you to cover up.
The person sitting next to you can’t move away.
9/11:was 25 years ago, people have had , plenty of time to learn how TSA works. Bulky clothing items like coats or jackets or sweat shirts go through the X-ray scanner. How hard is it to put on a shirt when you are going to an airport.
And this is why women shouldn’t be allowed to fly or anywhere near airports unless they’re employed to be there.
This happened to me some years ago in Wichita, Kansas. I was wearing a light business jacket and slacks. It was the kind of jacket worn buttoned up. Underneath, instead of a blouse, that might get hot, I just wore a lacy camisole, aka, underwear. The old guy told me to take my jacket off and I said the suit jacket was my top and underneath, as with any other top, I had only my underwear on. We had quite a row, but a supervisor let me go. It was a perfectly acceptable woman’s business suit.
I never knew Security Theater had a Costume Department. Why are we still funding this show?
” WOW, maybe some electrical tape would have solved the problem.”
No one seems to have caught the reference. WOW (no periods, same as LBJ and JFK) is for Wendy O. Williams who was known for strategic use of electrical tape.
The people complaining about the TSA’s dislike of hoodies have never tried to fly with them on before. It you don’t take it off, they’re going to grope your stomach and upper back where the multiple layers of heavy fabric are. Also, if your hoodie has metal grommets, they’re going to grope your neck. Don’t like it, take the hoodie off.
Also, what sort of person decides to travel without a shirt under their sweatshirt? Leaving aside her exposure fetish, what if you spill your drink due to turbulence or get overheated?