Spirit Airlines Passengers Allegedly Kicked Off Plane for Wearing Crop Tops: ‘Treated Like Criminals’

Two friends, Tara Kehidi and Teresa Araujo, were allegedly banned from a Spirit Airlines flight from Los Angeles to New Orleans on October 4 because of their clothing. They initially wore sweaters, but due to the lack of air conditioning on the plane, they took them off, revealing crop tops that showed a small portion of their waists. According to the New York PostA male flight attendant came up to her and asked her to “put something on.” When asked about the dress code, the employee allegedly walked away. The women claimed they were not shown a policy or given a clear explanation.

“We only wore crop tops that showed a little bit of our stomach,” Kehidi explained. “It was confusing and felt discriminatory.”

Passengers defended them, but a supervisor intervened and threatened police action if they didn’t leave. The women and a mother with a small child were taken away. Ms Araujo claims the manager promised a rebooking but later refused, saying there were no flights available. She later took to social media on October 6 to share her side of the story, posting a series of videos detailing the events that led to her and her friend Tara Kehidi being removed from the Spirit Airlines flight became.

“This is a terrible service, that in 2024 we will be kicked off a plane because A MALE flight attendant doesn’t like our shirts.” “Everyone working at the airport agreed that this was an act of prejudice, discrimination and misogyny and that we should take legal action,” Ms. Araujo wrote on Instagram.

Watch the videos here:

Ms Araujo further claimed she had to spend $1,000 to rebook another flight on a different airline. The two friends also claimed they offered to put their sweaters back on several times to avoid being kicked out, but the flight attendant told them it was too late.

“It was kind of embarrassing for us too because we felt like we were being treated like… like criminals. Everyone on the plane looked at us,” she said ABC7Chicago.

They say they are now interested in taking legal action.

The incident has sparked debate about airline dress codes and possible bias. Spirit Airlines’ policy states that passengers should dress “appropriately” but does not specify a policy for crop tops.

In a statement sent to The IndependentA Spirit Airlines representative said: “Our contract of carriage, a document that all guests agree to when making a reservation with us, sets out certain dress standards for all guests traveling with us. We are investigating the matter and are in touch with guests regarding their experiences.”

The contract of carriage posted on Spirit Airlines’ website states that any passenger may be forced to leave the aircraft if they are “inadequately dressed or their clothing is of an indecent, obscene or indecent nature.”