A Woman Who Wasn’t Allowed to Board a Plane Without a Bra Says It Was a “Humiliation”

Recently, self-employed DJ Lisa Archbold was on her way from Salt Lake City to San Francisco. However, just before her flight was set to take off, Lisa was called out by the airport staff for her attire, which was deemed “offensive.” While some supported her, others believed the airline was justified in refusing her boarding.

The issue arose because she was not wearing a bra.

DJ and entrepreneur Lisa Archbold had attended the Sundance Film Festival in Salt Lake City and was returning to San Francisco on January 22. Just as all passengers had boarded the plane, a crew member called her aside for a private conversation. Lisa was wearing loose-fitting attire—a white t-shirt and trousers—but had opted not to wear a bra.

The crew member insisted that Lisa could only remain on the flight if she wore a jacket, which Lisa had removed due to the unusually warm weather in Salt Lake City. Lisa found this request perplexing, especially since the flight was only an hour and a half long. She felt embarrassed by the situation, “It wasn’t logical — it was humiliation.”

After a lengthy lecture, the crew member allowed Lisa to re-board the flight only after she put her jacket back on. Upon arrival, Lisa voiced her concerns to the head flight attendant, citing discrimination based on the treatment she received. The flight attendant’s response, stating that women must cover up according to Delta Airlines’ policy, further dismayed Lisa. She has lodged a formal complaint with the airline and awaits a response.

This situation caused a heated discussion.

There were mixed opinions on whether the airline’s decision was justified or not. Some individuals supported the airline, suggesting that Lisa’s attire was inappropriate. One person wrote, “I’m on the side of the airline, just dress appropriately and problem solved.” On the other hand, another commenter sarcastically pointed out that not wearing a bra should not be considered illegal.

Certainly, this isn’t the only instance where a passenger has been denied boarding due to their attire. In a similar incident, a woman attempted to board a plane wearing a bikini, but airport personnel stopped her.