Man denied first-class seat on United for wearing track suit
Granted this was a domestic flight, but I found the article rather amusing.
United spokesman stated, "The gate agent thought the person was an airlines employee. If that would have been the case, an employee would have been subject to a dress code".
www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=620001025.blog&poe=HFMostPopular
Joel
Tempe, AZ USA 11/6/09
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Guy could have been traveling on a buddy pass, which can be used by non-employees, if they meet certain restrictions, and one is dress. If so, the user has to adhere to the dress code for the airlines or not be placed in first or business. Bad dress gets you cattle car.
Ryanair could double it's profits if they charged passengers for wearing tracksuits;)
(for those who don't get the joke, there's a sizeable segment of the UK and Irish population that likes to wear tracksuits and fly on Ryanair)
I bet it would have been a different story if a celebrity had got on in a Juicy Couture tracksuit (which are just as 'chavvy' in my opinion)!
He was using miles from his FF account to upgrade. And in all fairness, it wasn't a UA employee who stopped him but a contract employee from Air Wisconsin.
AirWis operates some of the RJ's out of Dulles as United Express. The gate agents for AirWis work both United and United Express flights.
Frank II - Thanks, I misread the article, I thought it was a United employee.
I also saw the story through UPI where I got my information.
Yep. Being the spouse of an airline employee, we have to follow a dress code, and this is why. If you pay full fare for first class, you can wear whatever you want. Otherwise, it's smart to class it up a bit.
I think Michael is on to something.
Charging to dress in track suits is a great idea. I like turning the plane's ac down into the 30s and charging for blankets, too. Anyone for a $10 bowl of soup or $20 hand warmers (which aren't allowed in carry-on)? LOL
Perhaps Best Buy should be “embarrassed and humiliated” that one of their highly-paid executives decided to wear glorified pajamas while on a business trip and then aired out the consequences in public with the media. Come to think of it, pajamas are probably better than track suits (unless you’re warming up for the Drake Relays).