Actress, entrepreneur, fitness expert, and former WWE Superstar Eva Marie has lashed out at Qantas Airlines after claiming she was denied access to a business class lounge (while holding a business class ticket) due to the fact she is a woman who was wearing activewear.
The 35-year-old former pro-wrestler shared an image on social media of her outfit - a red cropped sweater, red gym pants, and red trainers - saying that despite the fact her business is working in the fitness industry, "Qantas prefers their women in a dress".
Per the official Qantas website, the airline provides business class lounges in many locations around the world, that "offer a stylish, quiet and calm place to relax or work before take-off". However, Marie - real name Natalie Marie Coyle - had an experience that was far from "relaxing".
There are some things you just can't get away with while flying - and this is one of them:Writing to her 940,000+ Twitter followers last week, Marie stated: "In 2020 @qantas airlines Melbourne won’t allow a woman holding a business class ticket to enter their business class lounge in active wear. My business IS fitness and an active lifestyle. Qantas prefers their women in a dress. #genderdiscrimination #qantas"
This was followed up with another tweet in which Marie clarified that the issue was not a dress code issue, but one of gender - as her husband, entrepreneur Jonathan Coyle, was allowed into the same business class lounge wearing activewear (t-shirt, gym shorts, and a baseball cap). Marie shared side-by-side photos of both herself and her husband in their outfits.
She continued: "Clarification: This is NOT a dresscode issue, I support a businesses right to enforce equitable dresscode standards. However, My husband was allowed in no problem wearing this. While I was kicked out wearing this. My issue is that standards should be equitably enforced @Qantas"
Her husband has since retweeted both of the tweets in a show of solidarity with Marie.
Per the Qantas Airlines website, "head-to-toe gym wear" is strictly forbidden in Qantas' Australian airport lounges - but Marie's issue was not one of policy, but instead a double standard between male and female passengers.
People on Twitter have been divided over the post, with some people coming to Marie's defense and sharing their own personal experience of flying with Qantas:
On the other hand, there were several Twitter users who had no sympathy for the couple:
Do you think Marie should have been let into the lounge or was the airport fully within their rights? Let us know in the comments section.
