Articles like this only reinforce my decision to never fly again. If I can't drive there, it's not worth visiting. (Exceptions made for overseas destinations. That's what ships are for :)
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."
F16, What's a "Snoop Dog"? BTW were you a lawn dart pilot? I LOVE the F16. I used to travel from Richmond, VA on 737's and occasionally we were in line behind some heavier commercial aircraft (low rumble), the F16s rattled the windows! Awesome! Karen and I live in NC and we get flyovers over Lake James. The jets are so friggin fast that when we hear 'em we look about a mile or two beyond the sound. What do you think about the FA/22?
SHE should have taken off HER shirt in support of him. That would have confused everyone.
Amendment V
"nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation."
In particular, all of our federal security regulations requiring any airline to purchase security equipment and hire security personnel are having the owners of the airlines private property taken for public use and thus need to be compensated.
This does not make American Airlines "practically government."
In addition, as any well schooled U.S. citizen should know, the you have no First Amendment right on private property.
I've just been to the American Airlines contact page and thanked them for their actions.
They did the right thing.
Articles like this only reinforce my decision to never fly again. If I can't drive there, it's not worth visiting. (Exceptions made for overseas destinations. That's what ships are for :)
I thought it was the commonly sold Tshirt found in many American tourist shops - the representation of a nude female torso. When it is worn it gives the impression of a nude topless female.
I guess if all banned material were posted by the airline it would take far too long to read.
Actually, I'd rather the airlines would kick off some of those rather unattractive, portly flight attendants.,..
And were physically restricted from giving resistance.
Today, people come on wearing sleeveless shirts
Good! Frees them up for combat. You just get yer head down, no worries.
I don't fly anymore.
Oh, good.. the fewer weak sisters the better.
Watching the "Airline" marathon now running on A&E cable, I don't think I would last long as a airline service person before I punched somebody. Sure, sometimes the airline screws up, but there are so many passengers that are just really rude and expect the impossible -- of course, the TV show probably shows the worst of the lot.
Lust.
Oh good. I pumped millions of dollars into the USA economy. I don't do that anymore. Tired of paying exorbitant taxes to those unwilling to work, nor take a shower, shave, and dress accordingly. Now I allow the younger folks less focussed on manners, speech and dress to support me. FDR put this scenario together longer than I've been alive; and LBJ leveraged the concept in 1964. "Oh well" pal.
Big hairy ones at that.
Tit for tat.
That was exactly the point I was trying to make. When I was referring to taxpayer money going to airlines perhaps I should have been more specific. I was more referring the all the federal bailouts airlines received in the 80's and 90's. I was not referring to post 9/11 monies recieved for security measures.
I am well aware that there is no free speech protections from non-governmental organizations. I was just referring to the fact that airlines have been so subsidized pre 9/11 that they practically are government organizations.
That thought is rather titillating!!!
Understandably so. Airline travel used to be really nice. Passengers were polite, respectful towards each other not to mention respectful towards the Cockpit and the Air Crews. Now crews have to take being abused by obnoxtious passengers with no manners in the air OR on the ground. When in the air the crews should have the last say along with the Captain. We need to start enforcing laws again as we are already well down the road to chaos!!!
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