Airline forced woman,18, to strip out of 'revealing' shorts
A British woman has been left horrified after airport staff forced her to strip out of her denim shorts because they were 'too short'.
Alix Townsend, 18, was checking in to a flight to Mallorca with eighteen other friends when a Monarch Airlines staff member requested she remove her shorts because they were ‘cut extremely high and the cheeks of her bottom were visible’.
"I feel distraught, it was very embarrassing. I did not feel my outfit was inappropriate, there were other passengers in similar dress. When the supervisor told me to change rather rudely I was taken aback," Townsend told the UK's The Daily Mail.
Townsend told The Daily Mail airline staff refused to let her go to the bathroom to change her clothing.
Instead she claims she was told to remove her trousers in plain sight of other passengers waiting to check in.
"I agreed as I did not want to risk not getting on the flight. However, when I asked if I could go to the toilet to change and she made me change in front of everyone.
"They had plenty of opportunity to approach me while we were queuing. I could have gone away and changed, maintaining some dignity," she said.
Eventually, Townsend put a long kaftan over her clothing to cover her body before removing the offending shorts from beneath the kaftan's skirt.
Though not present at the time of the airport altercation, Alix's parents were astounded and upset by the airline's conduct.
"To single out my daughter for her attire is unacceptable. She was dressed appropriately.
"She was understandably distraught. Other passengers were dressed in a risqué manner but not told to change," Alix's father Lee told The Mail.
A representative for the airline denied Ms Townsend was refused access to a bathroom to change her attire.
They did acknowledge she was asked to change her trousers.
"Miss Townsend was politely asked to change to comply with the airline’s dress policy.
"We do not believe there are grounds for complaint."
