Lisa Archbold had just boarded a plane from Salt Lake City to San Francisco on this late January day when a stewardess, she said, took her aside before takeoff. The reason: the t-shirt of the passenger who was not wearing a bra revealed the shape of her breasts and nipples.
“The stewardess told him that when passengers wear offensive or revealing clothing, Delta’s official policy is to exclude them from the flight,” his lawyer, Gloria Allred, explained to the press in Los Angeles on Thursday, denouncing a “discriminatory” behavior.
Forced to put a jacket over his t-shirt
To stay on board, this 38-year-old woman had to put on a jacket over her t-shirt. “I was targeted and humiliated,” Lisa Archbold said, detailing how the flight attendant summoned her and then took her out of the plane in front of the other passengers. “The helplessness was worse than the humiliation. »
Rather than filing a complaint, this DJ requests a meeting with the boss of Delta to request the modification of a policy that she considers discriminatory. According to this logic, “what will Delta do for girls under 18?” », quipped his lawyer. “At what age should a girl make sure her nipples are not visible under a t-shirt? » “The latest news is that the Taliban are not in charge of Delta,” asserted the lawyer.
Delta “apologies” to the passenger
“Male passengers are not required to cover their t-shirts with a shirt or jacket,” the lawyer continued. “They are also not required to wear a bra to board or remain on a plane and women should not be required to wear them. »
According to the lawyer, the American regulatory framework allows airlines to exclude a passenger from a flight only if he represents a risk to the safety of the plane or passengers. Which was not the case for Lisa Archbold. “Neither her breasts nor those of any other woman have ever tried to take over a plane,” she recalled. “Breasts are not weapons of war and it is not a crime for a woman or girl to have them. » Contacted by AFP, Delta indicated that it had already presented its “apologies” to this customer.