A WOMAN has described how she was asked to cover up by flight staff before boarding a Thomas Cook flight because her outfit was “causing offence”.
Emily O’Connor was left 'shaking and upset' after staff threatened to remove her from a Birmingham flight to Tenerife because of her “inappropriate” outfit.
The 21-year-old, who was wearing high-waisted trousers and a crop top, was surrounded by the flight manager and four staff on the flight.
“Thomas Cook told me that they were going to remove me from the flight if I didn’t “cover up” as I was “causing offence” and was “inappropriate”,” O’Connor said on Twitter.
Flying from Bham to Tenerife, Thomas Cook told me that they were going to remove me from the flight if I didn’t “cover up” as I was “causing offence” and was “inappropriate”. They had 4 flight staff around me to get my luggage to take me off the plane. pic.twitter.com/r28nvSYaoY
— Emily (@emroseoconnor) March 12, 2019
“They announced that I was offensive and inappropriate in front of the whole flight.
“I was physically shaking, and they could see that, yet they continued to sexualise and ridicule me.
“It was the worst experience of my life.”
I informed the staff that there is no “appropriate wear” policy stipulated online. I stood up on the flight and asked if anyone was offended, no-one said a word.
Would really appreciate if you could vote and share on the below!— Emily (@emroseoconnor) March 12, 2019
To top it off they allowed a man hurl abuse at me whilst the Flight manager and 4 air staff stood and said nothing.
— Emily (@emroseoconnor) March 12, 2019
O’Connor had already gone through security and passport control when she was approached by a member of staff on the flight.
She even asked everyone else on the flight “if I was offending anyone” and “no-one said a word.”
However, when the manager went to get her bag, a man reportedly shouted shouted “Shut up you pathetic woman. Put a f*cking jacket on” and, according to O’Connor, “the staff said nothing to him”.
“I was given a jacket by my cousin sitting at the front of the plane and they did not leave until I physically put it on,” she said.
“They made comments over the speaker about the situation and left me shaking and upset on my own.”
just a bit more context for those asking: wore this through the airport (security, passport control etc), boarded the plane, told to cover up by the greeting staff, sat down, flight manager and 4 flight staff said I would be removed unless I put a jacket on...
— Emily (@emroseoconnor) March 12, 2019
asked the plane (as they were all listening now anyway) if I was offending anyone, no-one said a word. The manager then went to get my bag to remove me from the flight. A man then shouted “Shut up you pathetic woman. Put a f*cking jacket on”- the staff said nothing to him
— Emily (@emroseoconnor) March 12, 2019
I was given a jacket by my cousin sitting at the front of the plane and they did not leave until I physically put it on. They made comments over the speaker about the situation and left me shaking and upset on my own.
— Emily (@emroseoconnor) March 12, 2019
O’Connor has garnered plenty of support online after publicising her experience.
Thomas Cook has also issued an apology, saying they “could have handled the situation better”.
"It's clear we could have handled the situation better. In common with most airlines, we have an appropriate clothing policy.
“This applies equally to men and women of all ages without discrimination. Our crews have the difficult task of implementing that policy and don't always get it right."
See More: Emily O'Connor, Thomas Cook
