Airlines can deny you boarding if they find your clothing objectionable for whatever reason.
A lot goes into planning for travels, but one thing that also deserves attention is the airport look. Passengers agree to the airline’s contract of carriage when they buy a ticket, which means you need to follow their rules. Dressing appropriately—vague as it may be—is part of the deal. Most airlines don’t have written rules on what’s allowed and what’s not, but from past experiences of other passengers, you can make some deductions. No expletives or offensive words; no visible midriff; and nothing too political that may irk other passengers. If you’re unlucky and an airline worker decides whatever you’re wearing doesn’t cut it—for whatever reason—you may be asked to cover up or remove the offensive piece of clothing. The risk of refusing is getting kicked off the flight, and it does happen.
(By the way, if you need a flight-safe outfit, our retro Fodor’s tees are extremely unlikely to cause an airline dress-code incident.)
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German Influencer Told She’s “Naked”
A German fitness influencer said in June that Lufthansa Airline shamed her for her clothes when she was flying during a heatwave. Edda Elisa posted a video on TikTok sharing the story of how a gate agent from the airline told her to cover up, “You’re not wearing anything. You’re naked.” The influencer was wearing workout clothes—a sports bra and shorts for her flight from Berlin to Austria when it happened. She complied by wearing an oversized hoodie, but was asked to zip up before she could board the plane.
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Women Asked to Cover Up Crop Tops
For years, women have accused airlines for slut-shaming them. Female passengers are judged more harshly and policed strongly for their outfits. The debate was reignited in 2024 when women passengers were evicted from their flight for wearing crop tops. A Spirit Airlines employee told Tara Kehidi and Teresa Araujo to cover up at Los Angeles airport. The two were wearing crop tops under their sweaters and took off the extra layer in the plane due to warm temperatures. They were booted off the plane along with another passenger who objected and her toddler. The friends rebooked a Delta flight to New Orleans, which cost them $1,000. But in the age of social media, their video of getting escorted out went viral, raising questions about arbitrary enforcement of Spirit’s policies.
Spirit updated its contract of carriage in 2025, and it now specifies that a passenger may be asked to leave if they are “barefoot or inadequately clothed (i.e., see-through clothing; not adequately covered; exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts), or whose clothing or article, including body art, is lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature.
@Delta I was extracted from a delta flight for not wearing a bra. The gate attendant waited until the entire plane was seated, then asked to speak to me privately and escorted me off the plane, like a criminal.I was told “the official policy of @Delta is that women must cover up” pic.twitter.com/NuxiCrYf90
— DJette kiwi (@DJettekiwi) January 23, 2024
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Woman Escorted Out For Not Wearing a Bra
In 2024, a woman was also asked to step out of the plane for not wearing a bra. Lisa Archbold was flying from Salt Lake City to San Francisco when a Delta gate agent escorted her outside after boarding, and asked her to cover up. The DJ was wearing a white shirt and baggy pants, and she was allowed to board after she put on a jacket. She posted about it on X and said she felt like a “criminal.” She later confirmed that the airline apologized to her, but the experience was humiliating.
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Woman Denied Boarding for Shorts
Last year, a woman alleged that Spirit Airlines denied her boarding because of her shorts. Tanasia Grayer was flying from Miami to Chicago when she was told at the ticket counter that her shorts were not appropriate for the flight and she would not be allowed on the plane. The altercation escalated and her sister was arrested for disorderly conduct. Grayer said that she wore similar shorts on her flight to Miami without issues and she was even wearing a pink robe to not be revealing.
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Man Asked to Change T-Shirt With Palestine Message
In June this year, a New Jersey resident was asked to change his t-shirt by a United staff member. Sam Saadeh was traveling from Atlanta to Newark, wearing a t-shirt that read, “Bombing kids is not self defense.” He complied with the airline’s directive, and was able to fly home. However, he is considering legal defense. According to him, the airline could not justify why the text was offensive.
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Veteran Kicked Off Flight for Shirt With End Suicide Message
It’s not always revealing outfits that cause tensions on the plane though. In 2024, a U.S. veteran was asked to change out of her t-shirt because it read: “Do not give in to the war within. End veteran suicide.” A Delta airline flight attendant asked Marine Corps veteran Catherine Banks to get off the plane and when she did, the crew member told her that her shirt was threatening. The only way she would be allowed, she was told, was if she took off her shirt. Banks turned around and changed into a sweatshirt, and alleged that her paid seat was given away and the flight delay caused her to miss her connection.
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Passenger Removed for His Hoodie With F-Word
In 2025, too, a man had to pay for a new flight after he was shown the door by Spirit. John Garcia was wearing a sweatshirt with “FVCK HATE WORLD TOUR” printed on it on the back in bold letters. A Spirit attendant asked him to change out of it, which he initially refused but later removed it. However, he questioned the staff members and was booted off the flight. He ended up booking a new flight from L.A. to San Antonio with a 12-hour layover.
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Man Kicked Off for Hawk Tuah Girl Meme Tee
A Delta employee asked a passenger to leave in 2024 due to his t-shirt. The passenger was wearing a t-shirt that had a President Donald Trump showing middle fingers with the words: “Hawk tuah spit on that thang.” The words refer to a 2024 internet meme that went viral for its obscenity. The passenger was already seated when a flight attendant came up to him and said someone had complained about his t-shirt, and he turned it inside out. But Delta later kicked him off when he flipped the t-shirt back again. According to a Reddit comment, the passenger was also vaping and cussing.
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DJ Forced Out of Plane for Offensive Leggings
In 2022, a DJ from South Korea said that she was humiliated by American Airlines on her flight to Los Angeles when they told her to remove her pants in front of the crew. Hwang So-hee, also known as DJ Soda, was flying from New York to L.A. when the crew asked her to pack her belongings and step off the plane. Her sweatpants had the words “F–k You” on them, and she was told she would need to take the next flight. She said she pleaded with them to let her fly, and offered to change into something else. She had to remove her pants in front of them at the gate. “They even sarcastically commented that I could have taken off my pants earlier,” she posted. Eventually, she was allowed on board after she wore them inside out and swore she would boycott the airline after the unfair treatment.
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Woman Blocked From Boarding Due to Halter Top
In 2020, a Southwest employee found a woman passenger’s black halter top objectionable and asked her to cover up. Kayla Eubanks said in a post on X that she was kicked off her flight because “my boobs are “lewd, obscene and offensive.”” She ultimately made it on the flight to Chicago after the captain gave her a shirt. Southwest ended up apologizing to the customer and refunded her fare.