Too Overdressed to Travel

There was a time, long ago, when male airline staff had to wear a jacket and tie and female employees would be required to dress smartly, when travelling on a non-revenue ticket. However, it seems that the times-are-a-changin’. A US flight attendant is suing JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines, saying a male employee denied her a work-related flight because she wasn't dressed provocatively enough. 37-year-old Karin Keegan of Pittsburgh, works for Delta and her employer has an agreement for JetBlue to ferry its flight attendants to job assignments on a standby basis. Ms. Keegan's lawsuit states that a male JetBlue worker wouldn't let her on a flight in October 2007 because she wasn't dressed provocatively enough, then allowed other flight attendants with less seniority to board the plane.

"Keegan changed into more provocative clothes, but (the employee) told her she was too late to board the plane and should have dressed like that before," said the lawsuit, which was filed in Pittsburgh federal court last week. "He wanted her to change to a lower-cut shirt and tighter pants, and wear more make-up before letting her on the plane," according to Keegan's attorney. Delta and JetBlue officials refused to intercede when she complained, the lawsuit said. Apparently Ms. Keegan is losing income, because she has stopped taking JetBlue flights to job assignments so she can avoid harassment by the male employee.