Delta passenger says she was removed from plane because she wasn't wearing a bra

A Delta passenger has spoken out against the airline after she claims to have been removed from a flight for not wearing a bra.

Lisa Archbold - accompanied by her attorney Gloria Allred - took a stand against Delta Air Lines' dress code policy during a news conference held on Thursday (March 28) over an incident that took place back in Janaury.

The DJ (also know by her stage name Djette Kiwi), claims she was "targeted and humiliated" while attempting to travel from Salt Lake City to San Fransisco after attending Utah’s Sundance Film Festival.

During her trip, the DJ had donned what she described as her comfortable attire — a loose, white shirt paired with baggy jeans.

Passenger Lisa Archbold Credit: NBCLA

However, she was approached by a gate agent and temporarily escorted off the plane where she was questioned over her outfit choice.

"It felt like a scarlet letter was being attached to me," the passenger said. "I felt it was a spectacle aimed at punishing me for not being a woman in the way she thought I should be a woman as she scolded me outside of the plane."

Suspecting that her lack of a bra might have been the issue, Archbold confronted the gate agent, who allegedly cited Delta’s policy regarding offensive or revealing clothing.

The passenger shares an image of the outfit she was wearing. Credit: NBCLA/Lisa Archbold

According to Allred, the gate agent informed Archbold that Delta’s protocol mandates the removal of passengers wearing offensive or revealing attire. "The gate agent told her that when passengers are wearing offensive or revealing clothing, Delta’s official policy is to remove them from the flight," the attorney said.

Despite being permitted to fly after layering an additional shirt, Archbold found herself further distressed when she raised the issue with the head flight attendant, who reportedly reiterated Delta’s stance that "women must cover up".

Attorney Gloria Allred said that a male passenger would not have been treated the same. Credit: NBCLA

Citing double standards, attorney Allred told reporters: "Male passengers are not required to cover up their T-shirts with a shirt or a jacket. They also do not have to wear a bra to board or remain on a plane and women should not have to wear one either."

"Last I checked, the Taliban are not in charge of Delta," the lawyer boldly expressed. Neither her breasts nor any other woman’s breasts have ever tried to take over a plane. Breasts are not weapons of war, and it’s not a crime for a woman or girl to have them."

Delta says it has issued an apology. Credit: Tim Boyle / Getty

In response to inquiries from NBC Los Angeles, Delta acknowledged that the airline had reached out to Archbold with an apology.

The airline clarified its dress standards online, reserving the right to refuse transport when a passenger’s conduct or attire poses a risk of offense or annoyance to others, stating that staff may intervene "when the passenger’s conduct, attire, hygiene or odor creates an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance to other passengers."

However, Allred branded the treatment of her client as discriminatory, advocating for a change in Delta’s policies.

While no lawsuit has been filed against Delta at present, Archbold and her legal team seek policy revisions and a meeting with the airline’s president to address the matter comprehensively.

Featured image credit: Robert Alexander / Getty