The 32 Best Tweets about United Denying Young Girls Seats on a Flight for Wearing Leggings
Photo by Rick Kern/Getty
Yesterday, Shannon Watts—founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America—alerted everyone to a surreal scene as she was about to board her United flight.
2) She’s forcing them to change or put dresses on over leggings or they can’t board. Since when does @united police women’s clothing?
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
The girls were not normal ticketed passengers, as they were flying on United’s dime, and therefore were subject to a dress code that United enforces on anyone they deem to be a representative of the company. This is an understandable de jure position, but from a de facto point of view, making a 10-year-old change out of leggings because United paid for her ticket is closer to a police state than the free market.
Who the hell is going to know that United paid for her ticket? Instead of taking the easy way out of this and apologizing for enforcing this standard to a psychotic end, United doubled down and invited all of Twitter to dog pile on their social media team.
@shannonrwatts In our Contract of Carriage, Rule 21, we do have the right to refuse transport for passengers who … https://t.co/52kRVgaCyb
— United (@united) March 26, 2017
@PattyArquette Casual attire is allowed as long as it looks neat and is in good taste for the local environment. (1/2)
— United (@united) March 26, 2017
Here are the best tweets from that dog pile.
I have flown united before with literally no pants on. Just a top as a dress. Next time I will wear only jeans and a scarf.
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 26, 2017
I don’t usually travel in leggings, but strongly considering them now for my @united flight on Wednesday.
— Erin A. Hennessy (@ErinAHennessy) March 26, 2017
2) This behavior is sexist and sexualizes young girls. Not to mention that the families were mortified and inconveninced.
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
4) Their father, who was allowed to board with no issue, was wearing shorts.
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
Usually I have to block gun extremists. Today I have to block legging extremists. Weird.
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 26, 2017
The only place @united‘s Contract of Carriage mentions clothing is regarding safety. Were these dangerous leggings? https://t.co/gQhX7l943d
— Chris (@filmbuffcw) March 26, 2017
@united@PattyArquette Friendly Advice, United: No one is nearly as offended by a little girl in spandex as they are by this situation.
— Nick Bolton (@NickBolton13) March 26, 2017
@united Leggings are business attire for 10 year olds. Their business is being children.
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) March 26, 2017
@united Really? pic.twitter.com/O9RplgrTsv
— Jeremy Pond (@JeremyPond) March 26, 2017
@PattyArquette@Shananigans@united@shannonrwatts See? ???????? I’ve done it before! ???????? pic.twitter.com/MC6P144kjL
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 26, 2017
@shannonrwatts@MsNursePetty@united this is more acceptable pic.twitter.com/c99739VQTz
— Howie Doohan (@paulsboutiquery) March 26, 2017
@MyBeerAdventure I’m happy to hear you arrived in MSN. Have a great day. *JH
— Delta (@Delta) March 26, 2017
I bet they let this passenger on without wearing any pants ???? This is why we only fly @Delta and never @united#twitterlogicpic.twitter.com/0NMy2hSjq2
— Hunter Walters (@Huntwalt) March 26, 2017
.@united Not to stir the pot, but last time I flew I saw a couple of broads talking and laughing. Please put a stop to this.
— Jim Norton (@JimNorton) March 27, 2017
Waiting on my @united flight like pic.twitter.com/z41NXlHfDs
— Shannon and Swift (@shannonandswift) March 27, 2017
I think @united‘s gendered policies should be debated. For example, female flight attendants are required to wear heels in airports. https://t.co/1PYdwjDF47
— Anjuan Simmons (@anjuan) March 27, 2017
Your manic pixie dream girl name is the item of clothing that’d get you kicked off @United, plus the last Fiona Apple song you listened to.
— Maris Kreizman (@mariskreizman) March 27, 2017
Dear @united
Is this going to be an issue? pic.twitter.com/zPV8UeZ8GS— Steve Marmel (@Marmel) March 27, 2017
He must be grabbing some coffee before a flight today on @unitedpic.twitter.com/JcDtfsm10Q
— Craig Froelich (@craigfroelich) March 26, 2017
Apparently both leggings and legroom are banned on @Unitedpic.twitter.com/zlzvvUnkTI
— Kian Dowlatshahi (@kdowlatshahi) March 26, 2017
Exclusive look at the @united corporate board room members who decided what girls are allowed to wear on their flights: pic.twitter.com/Zk7zTkYS3a
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) March 26, 2017
What’s happening w/ @united today is good example of how treating your corp social media mgmnt as junior marketing role can be catastrophic.
— Jason Jacobs (@jjacobs22) March 26, 2017
@united@SarahKSilverman yeah. They are only trying to treat the teenage daughters of their employees like shit. Not everyone else.
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) March 26, 2017
Every PR person watching @united tweet right now pic.twitter.com/rA4vKzwuUA
— Sydney Gardner (@sydneygardner) March 26, 2017
Congrats to @united on becoming the official airline of the alt-right. pic.twitter.com/DKt0r2ZcuQ
— sea bank s 4 20 l ol (@ecigcaffeineboy) March 26, 2017
What is your policy on 3/4 compression tights if I have great calves, @united ?
— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) March 26, 2017
.@united I have flown numerous times while displaying an egregious mooseknuckle. What’s a male over 10 have to do to get noticed?
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) March 26, 2017
@united for the pass travelers do u send them W-2’s if they are considered part of the company? Can they buy leggings with their tax return?
— Austin (@2austin21) March 27, 2017
@amandasaurasus@united employees be like “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I’VE HAD IT WITH THESE MOTHERFUCKING LEGGINGS ON THIS MOTHERFUCKING PLANE” pic.twitter.com/6vSWeJqXcY
— Amanda Lynn (@amandasaurasus) March 27, 2017
And this last tweet perfectly encapsulates the shitstorm United now finds themselves in.
@shannonrwatts Hey, @united, you know how this ends, right? Images of women in leggings tagging you on social as they fly your competition.
— Jenn (@jennvzande) March 26, 2017
Bravo United, this was quite the impressive display of tone-deafness and obstinance. For the sake of your executives’ bottom line, you better hope that your stock being down 0.44% as of this writing is unrelated to the swift and unnecessary backlash that your PR and social media teams invited upon the airline.
Jacob Weindling is Paste’s business and media editor, as well as a staff writer for politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling.