Couple Kicked Off Flight Over Risque Shirt


MIAMI (AP) -- A couple returning home from a Costa Rican vacation was ejected from an American Airlines flight because the man was wearing a T-shirt depicting a bare breast.

Oscar Arela and his girlfriend were removed from Flight 952 on Saturday after he refused to change the shirt or turn it inside out at Miami International Airport.

The couple, who were making a connecting flight, said nobody on their earlier flight objected to the shirt and claimed the airline violated their constitutional right to free speech.

"It's a picture of a man and woman, and the woman's breast is showing," said his girlfriend, Tala Tow. "The flight attendant basically walked up to us and yelled, 'You have to take off that shirt right now.'"

American spokesman Tim Wagner said Sunday that crew members acted properly, and said the shirt was more graphic than the couple described. The airline gave them a refund, he said.

Wagner noted on American's Web site the policy clearly states that someone who is "clothed in a manner that would cause discomfort or offense to other passengers" can be removed from a flight.

The couple, who were making a connecting flight, said nobody on their earlier flight objected to the shirt and claimed the airline violated their constitutional right to free speech.




Someone needs to tell these people that the Constitution guarantees that the Government can not violate free speech.  It is not violating rights if the airline has rules against it.  And what kind of statement would this shirt make, anyway?  Get a life, guy.

Heck, even picking up the kids at VBS today, there was a mom wearing a pair of cotton shorts with "VIRGIN" written across the back...in very small print on the lower leg, it said "Islands".::)


That sounds........disturbing. :P

It is not violating rights if the airline has rules against it. Get a life, guy.
THAT is exactly what I would like all these whiners about free speech and freedom of expression to realize. The airline has thier rules and the guy BROKE them....period. Oh, but let's waste peoples tax money and take it to court ::)