Woman claims she was banned from a flight over her outfit

MAGGIE was shocked when an airport worker approached her and informed her she wouldn’t be allowed to board her flight because she was wearing this.

Maggie McMuffin wasn’t happy about her flight experience. Picture: Maggie McMuffin/Facebook

A WOMAN claims she was banned from boarding a flight due to her “inappropriate” outfit.

Burlesque dancer Maggie McMuffin says she was due to fly on a JetBlue plane from Boston to Seattle on May 18 when a gate agent approacher her and told her she wouldn’t be allowed on-board unless she covered up. At the time, she was wearing thigh-high socks, a long-sleeve top and quite short shorts.

Maggie told local news site Kiro 7: “(She) told me that she was really sorry for bringing this up but just what I was wearing was not appropriate and the flight crew had discussed it and the pilot had decided that I needed to put something else on or I would not be allowed to board the flight”.

To confuse the situation, Maggie claims nobody had a problem with her wearing the exact same outfit on her earlier connecting flight from New York to Boston — with the same airline.

Maggie says she didn’t have anything else to wear so as a compromise said she could tie her top around her waist, but that didn’t fly with the airline. They offered to rebook her on another flight but Maggie eventually — begrudgingly — bought some pants.

“I feel like it’s just a symptom of our patriarchal society that women are sold scantily clad things and if we choose to wear them we can be punished for that.”

Her friend Molly McIsaac also shared Maggie’s story on Facebook, slamming the way the airline dealt with the situation: “This is Maggie McMuffin. Maggie is a burlesque performer and also a friend. This is what she was wearing last week when JetBlue told her she was dressed inappropriately and couldn’t board the flight from Boston to Seattle she had paid for.

“ ... Sexism is alive and well in this world. How does what Maggie was wearing effect her ability to fly? It doesn’t. Please share this status. Make this go viral. Maggie did not deserve to be treated like this.”

Maggie was give a $280 credit and a refund for the price of the pants she bought. However, she wants the airline to apologise and for a clear dress code to be stated. And a larger refund from the airline.

A JetBlue spokesperson told Kiro 7: “The gate and on board crew discussed the customer’s clothing and determined that the burlesque shorts may offend other families on the flight. While the customer was not denied boarding, the crew members politely asked if she could change. The customer agreed and continued on the flight without interruption.

“We support our crew members’ discretion to make these difficult decisions, and we decided to reimburse the customer for the cost of the new shorts and offered a credit for future flight as a good will gesture.”

news.com.au has contacted JetBlue for further comment.

Maggie was stunned. Picture: Maggie McMuffin/Facebook