Southwest airlines reduces fare to "mini skirt" size

17 September, 2007:

Mini skirts are to get a fare cut at Southwest Airlines. It all happened after a heated public debate broke out when Southwest airlines personnel barred a passenger from flying because her outfit was too revealing. Twenty-three-year-old Kyla Ebbert, took her case to ‘The Dr. Phil Show’ and host Phil McGraw later read out an apology from Southwest Chief Executive Gary Kelly.

Ebbert, who had bought her ticket to fly on a Southwest plane ready to take off from San Diego on July 3, 2007, was asked by an airline employee to change her miniskirt, top and sweater or disembark. In a compromise, the Californian was allowed to stay on the flight to Tucson, Arizona, after pulling her skirt down a bit and her top up, reports said.

The incident had sparked off a debate on in-flight attire. The airline, in the meantime, is now using the interest sparked off by the debate as a marketing ploy, announcing a fare sale to honor miniskirts. The airline announced fares of US$49 to $109 each way, available for 10 days. As part of the apology, the airline offered Ebbert two free round-trip tickets to anywhere Southwest Airline flies.

The airline also said that it doesn't have a dress code at Southwest Airlines, and that it doesn’t want to put its employees in the position of being the fashion police. It, however, added that there's a fine line one has to walk sometimes in not offending other passengers.