A Florida woman was kicked off a Spirit Airlines flight headed from New Orleans to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport on Sunday because "her bosom was too exposed," according to a witness.
In a phone interview with WPLG, the woman, who declined to identify herself, said she wasn't going public because of the money wasted on airfare, but rather because she was really embarrassed by what took place.
"It's not even about money. I was really embarrassed," she said.
A picture of the top the woman was wearing at the time was later shared.
Two people who said they were passengers on the flight sided with the woman and claimed Spirit Airlines was out of line.
Cathy Supp, a passenger on the flight, wrote about her perspective on the incident on Facebook.
"Spirit Airlines wrongfully ejected me from the plane after offering a tissue to a quietly sobbing young lady, who had been first accused of being drunk," Supp wrote. "After assuring all three flight attendants that although she and her companion had been finishing a beer before boarding but was not drunk and would be fine, they left her alone for a few minutes, then came back and said her bosom was too exposed."
Supp wrote that the airline said they had received complaints about the woman.
"She tried to pull her top up further to cover more, each time another flight attendant came with the same issue, telling her in loud and rude tones that she'll have leave the plane if she can't get (her bosom) covered," Supp wrote.
According to Supp, she was removed from the plane after standing up for the woman, who was also removed from the plane. Supp said an off-duty Spirit Airlines crew member was put on the flight in one of the seats that became available, as the flight was previously full.
Another person who said he was on the flight next to the woman said that one flight attendant seemed to be looking for a confrontation.
Bob Kowaleski commented on Supp's post, saying a "male steward seemed anxious to show his air muscle." He also accused the plane staff of treating the woman like a "street walker" and suggested the staff "brush up on sensitivity training."
Spirit Airlines Spokesman Paul Berry disputed that the woman was removed "because of cleavage."
"Nobody was taken off a plane because of cleavage," Berry said. "People are taken off of planes because of their behavior."
He said the woman was intoxicated and while addressing that, the flight attendant said, "By the way, you might want to cover up."
"The flight attendant made that decision, and as she was leaving, she said, 'By the way, you might want to cover up.' It was more of a personal statement to her," Berry said.
Read more at WPLG.
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