Lisa Archbold had been flying from Salt Lake City to San Francisco on Monday 22 January, after attending the Sundance film festival.
The traveller said they had boarded the afternoon flight after an awkward encounter with the gate agent.
She described the chilly welcome as “super weird” but having been allowed onto the flight, she thought nothing of it.
Having found her seat, moments later an airline worker boards the flight and comes to her row.
“I’m thinking, someone has died or they found something weird in my bag,” the traveller told the New Zealand Herald.
“This woman from the ground crew comes to me and loudly says in front of the whole plane ‘I need to speak to you in private. Follow me’,” said Archbold.
The publicist and former judo champion’s mind is racing as to what it could be. Having been advertising a liquor brand belonging to an actor at the festival, her checked luggage was full of vodka, which she presumes is the cause of this incident.
It’s at that point she realises that it’s because she is not wearing a bra.
“It is Delta’s policy to remove anyone in revealing clothes from the aircraft,” she claims to have been told “I will allow you to stay on the plane, if you put your jacket on”.
Archbold still could not believe this was why she was summoned to the front of the plane.
“I was dressed like a little boy in baggy pants and shirt, I had no idea what she was talking about,” said Archbold, sharing a photo of her outfit.
The traveller, who identifies as Queer, claims she felt that she was unfairly singled out because she was wearing men's clothes.
The fact that she was not wearing a bra should have been immaterial, says the traveller.
“Neither were the men on that flight and lots have bigger breasts than me.”
The publicist and performer, who goes by the stage name ‘DJette Kiwi’, is based out of New York and travels regularly for work.
The New Zealand expatriate says she has never encountered this issue in the four years she has lived in the USA.
Archbold alleges that she was unfairly singled out over her appearance, which she insists conformed to the carrier’s dress code.
“She essentially weaponised Delta’s policy to humiliate and abuse a woman, she didn’t think was being a woman in the right way.”
The passenger filed an official complaint with the airline and is waiting to hear back.
The airline was contacted by the Herald for comment.
Delta does not have an official dress code for travellers.
However, under its domestic contract of carriage, the airline reserves the right to refuse or deplane travellers when “the passenger’s conduct, attire, hygiene or odor creates an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance to other passengers.”
