SPIRIT Airlines may kick you off a flight if you fail to follow its updated rules.
The budget airline has tightened the reigns on its clothing and tattoo policies for passengers.
Passengers without proper footwear and those wearing revealing or demeaning clothing and body art may now be removed from Spirit flights.
That means if you’re trying to board a Spirit flight barefoot, you might be denied entry.
If your clothing is see-through or leaves certain body parts exposed, you’ll likely be asked to U-turn, too.
And passengers wearing any clothing or with exposed tattoos that are “lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature” will be unable to board, according to Spirit’s updated policy.
Guests who fail to follow the rules run the risk of being denied entry or kicked off a flight – and they won’t be eligible to receive a refund.
The policy adjustments come after Spirit previously barred passengers for revealing clothing.
Last October, the airline kicked off two women for wearing crop tops.
A flight attendant asked the two women to leave the flight to New Orleans.
The two friends were traveling from Los Angeles.
“We were wearing crop tops just like a little bit of stomach showing,” Tara Kehidi told ABC news affiliate KABC.
With its new rules, Spirit is now more aligned with several other major carriers, including American Airlines, which also has a policy against barefoot passengers.
American Airlines in its policy mentions that passengers must “dress appropriately” and that “bare feet or offensive clothing aren’t allowed.”
Delta Airlines has a similar rule and may remove or refuse to transport passengers from its aircraft when they’re barefoot.
But Frontier Airlines differs from the others slightly and has an age limit for its shoe policy.
Children and infants under age three get a pass on being barefoot on a Frontier flight.
While most airlines are strict about barefoot passengers, there is an interesting loophole.
Spirit Airlines’ new dress code
Spirit Airlines updated its guidelines on passenger attire. The airline’s Contract of Carriage now states:
“A guest shall not be permitted to board the aircraft or may be required to leave an aircraft if that guest:
- Is disorderly, abusive, violent, or their conduct creates an unreasonable
risk of offense or annoyance to other guests. - Appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
- Interferes or attempts to interfere with any member of the flight crew in the pursuit of his/her duties, or fails to obey lawful instructions of flight crew members.
- Is or is perceived by the flight crew to pose a security threat or risk of
harm or damage to the airline, its aircraft or property, and/or other
guests, or their property. - Has a contagious disease that is transmissible during the normal course
of a flight, e.g., chicken pox. - Is unable or unwilling to sit in a seat with a seat belt fastened during the
normal course of a flight. - Is barefoot or inadequately clothed (i.e., see-through clothing; not
adequately covered; exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts). - Or whose clothing or article, including body art, is lewd, obscene, or
offensive in nature. - Has an offensive odor unless caused by a qualified disability.”
Flight blog One Mile at a Time in its September post stated that most airlines do allow passengers to wear flip flops.
And anyone who has worn flip flops knows they tend to slide off pretty easily.
But some airlines have taken it a step further to ban flip flops, too.
“For example, Qantas Clubs have among the strictest dress codes, and don’t allow flip flops,” the blog mentioned.
The blog further stated that several airlines ban being barefoot on planes, but its rarely enforced.
“If you are going to choose to be barefoot, at least keep your feet in your personal space, don’t go to the lavatories barefoot, and try to make sure they’re well maintained,” the blog stated.