Qantas business lounge refuses entry to Natalie Eva Marie, fitness queen and former WWE star

An American fitness queen has criticised Qantas for blocking her but letting her husband in wearing a T-shirt and shorts.

Natalie Eva Marie says she was refused entry to a Qantas lounge but her T-shirt and thong wearing husband was waved through.

An American fitness queen is the latest high profile traveller to take aim at Qantas, this time over the airline’s business lounge dress code.

Former WWE wrestler Natalie Eva Marie, who is in Australia to promote a new fitness app, was refused entry to the Qantas business lounge in Melbourne on Thursday because of her head-to-toe active wear.

The Qantas business lounge dress code clearly states head-to-toe active wear is not acceptable and wearers will be refused entry.

But what infuriated Marie was that while her outfit was deemed unacceptable, her husband Jonathon Coyle, who was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, was allowed in to the lounge.

“In 2020 Qantas won’t allow a woman holding a business class ticket to enter their business class lounge in active wear. My business IS fitness and an active lifestyle. Qantas prefers their women in a dress,” she tweeted to her 940,000 followers.

Clarification: This is NOT a dresscode issue, I support a businesses right to enforce equitable dresscode standards. However, My husband was allowed in no problem wearing this. While I was kicked out wearing this. My issue is that standards should be equitably enforced @Qantas pic.twitter.com/HSbLVc4W62

— Eva Marie (@natalieevamarie) January 16, 2020

Marie then followed up with an explanation that it was not a “dress code issue”.

“I support a business’s right to enforce equitable dress code standards. However my husband was allowed in no problem wearing this, while I was kicked out wearing this. My issue is that standards should be equitably enforced.”

Her tweets received support from followers but some pointed out that the dress code clearly defined active wear as unacceptable but a T-shirt and shorts as okay.

“What your husband is wearing can be acceptable on a hot day in Australia … while unfortunately what you are wearing is plain as day gym wear,” tweeted Zane McGrath in reply to Natalie Eva Marie.

“We see things differently down here.”

Qantas cracked down on its lounge dress code in 2015 in response to feedback from frequent flyers who were concerned that standards were slipping.

Among the attire deemed unacceptable are thongs and bare feet, beachwear including singlets and board shorts, sleepwear including ugg boots, head-to-toe activewear, revealing, torn or dirty clothing and clothing with offensive images or slogans.

The social media blow up followed attacks by celebrities Lisa and Jessica Origliasso and will.i.am last year over safety directions from cabin crew.

In the case of the Origliasso sisters who perform as The Veronicas, the women were escorted from a Qantas flight after clashing with a cabin crew member over their carry on luggage.

Two months later, Black Eyed Peas’ star will.i.am was met by Australian Federal Police after a Brisbane-Sydney flight, after a run in over his refusal to stow his laptop for landing.

He took to social media after the flight, accusing the Qantas cabin crew member concerned of racism and posting her picture and name online to his 12.7 million followers.

Qantas offered the flight attendant support to mount a legal case against the rapper.