Posted on 08/01/2004 1:16:56 PM PDT by wagglebee
MIAMI — A couple returning home from a Costa Rican vacation was ejected from an American Airlines flight because the man was wearing a T-shirt depicting a bare breast.
Oscar Arela and his girlfriend, Tala Tow, were removed from Flight 952 on Saturday after he refused to change the shirt or turn it inside out at Miami International Airport. The flight left 90 minutes late without them.
The couple, making a connecting flight from Costa Rica, said nobody on the earlier flight objected to the shirt and claimed the airline violated their constitutional right to free speech.
"It's a picture of a man and woman, and the woman's breast is showing," Tow said. "The flight attendant basically walked up to us and yelled, 'You have to take off that shirt right now.'"
American spokesman Tim Wagner said Sunday that crew members acted properly.
"The description I heard was a picture of a graphic of a naked man and woman performing a sexual act," he said. "We as an airline are in the service business, and we have the same latitude as a restaurant that says proper attire is required."
Tow said four Miami-Dade police officers and three federal security agents escorted her and Arela off the flight. She said the T-shirt image was reproduced from a Venezuelan record label.
Wagner said the couple could legally be barred from the flight even though they committed no crime. The airline gave them a refund. He did not know if they booked another flight.
"I'd like to figure out how a T-shirt that offends one member of the crew somehow impacts the safety of the flight or the ability of the flight to continue to New York," said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. "If they want to permit this kind of action by flight attendants, then they better have a clear policy that is announced in advance and made known to passengers in advance."
Isn't it nice when two liberal principles collide:)
""""""I'd like to figure out how a T-shirt that offends one member of the crew somehow impacts the safety of the flight or the ability of the flight to continue to New York," said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. "If they want to permit this kind of action by flight attendants, then they better have a clear policy that is announced in advance and made known to passengers in advance.""""""""
Fair enough. How about "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason."?
I doubt that the flight attendant just walked up and yelled at them. These rude, inconsiderate people's rights stop where other people's rights begin. Particularly when children would be subjected to such garbage.
Oscar Arela and his girlfriend, Tala Tow, were removed from Flight 952 on Saturday after he refused to change the shirt or turn it inside out at Miami International Airport. The flight left 90 minutes late without them.
No, because topless dancers, streakers, exhibitions of gay affection, open advertisement of porn, etc., impact other people's lives.
We all MUST be allowed to do as we please with our bodies and our property as long as there is no detrimental effect on anyone else.
I don't know why there is so much confusion about that concept.
You're gonna milk it for all it's worth, aren't ya?
That's a weird decision on his part, but he made it.
GOOD! For American Airlines!
Wha a low-life that guy is. Dispicable.
Basically, if the ACLU is in favor of freedom, as it claims to be, then why does it not support the airlines right to do business in the manner that the airline sees fit?
What?? No Snoop Dog or Eminem to calm the savage beast? ;-)
What free speech? As far as I can tell they were on private property. You know, "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone".
Oh yeah, you can't do that anymore.
I agree with the airlines. Surely he had another shirt he could wear. I'm tired of being bombed by porn and I don't want to sit next to a High Heffner wanna be.
For a long time now. Oh, and add civility, good taste and common sense to that list as well.
Yep it is ironic when a leftist concept, someone is responsible for someone else offending someone, ie employer is responsible for one employee offending another. It is however sad that the American principle of free speech might be the one that loses. Of course in this case:
1. There is no free speech issue, this is a matter of a private company not the government deciding appropriateness at its place of business.
2. I would hope the Airline is not reacting to the leftist harrassment threat, but I know better.
I didn't know that. Do you know when that happened and what ruling it was? I know a few auto repair shops and the like where it still applys whether it's legal or not.
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Uncle Seamus doesn't fly. |
Not on planes, anyway...
Hey is that John Edwards, and John Kerry behind that girl?
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