No political positions allowed.
JetBlue Airways has changed its uniform policy after a recent incident with a passenger. Crewmembers are no longer allowed to wear lapel pins that make a political statement. They were previously allowed to don multiple pins, one with the company logo and others of their choosing as long as they weren’t offensive. But now they will have to be approved by the airline.
In a statement to Fodor’s, a spokesperson for the airline said, “At JetBlue, our [number one] value is safety, and it guides every decision JetBlue makes. Our crewmembers should be focused on the safety of our flights and delivering a great customer experience. We have changed our uniform policy to make clear that on board the aircraft is not the right place for crewmembers to advocate positions on certain issues or political topics. Going forward, crewmembers will only be permitted to wear pins approved or issued by JetBlue.”
What Brought This On?
Last month, a passenger flying from Florida to Las Vegas noticed a flight attendant wearing several pins, including ones saying “Free Palestine” and “Black Lives Matter.” The passenger, Paul Faust, who is Jewish, shared the incident on Instagram, where he narrated that he complained to a supervisor quietly after the attendant moved the “Free Palestine” pin to the apron during service.
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But when he landed in Las Vegas, Faust says another JetBlue staffer questioned him for causing a disturbance. Faust walked away after this staff member called the police and said a passenger had caused a disturbance. Faust said, “Once [the staff member] said that, I just walked away. I was not going to sit there while he made up lies.”
Later, Faust says the airline canceled his flight back home and a customer service representative told him that he had disrupted the flight, didn’t listen to the flight crew instructions, and said “everyone should go to Gaza so they can be killed.”
Faust denies all of this. He says he had a private conversation with a passenger next to him. He explained that they were talking about the LGBTQ group Queers for Palestine. “’I said ‘yeah, it’s sad because if they went there, they would be killed.’ I had no communication with the flight attendant, whatsoever.”
The passenger in question, Rachelle Almagor, confirmed this to Daily Mail, and another passenger also said there was no disruption on the flight.
Faust accused JetBlue of anti-Semitism, and the airline responded by saying that they were investigating the matter.
The Florida resident supports Israel and posts videos about the war on his Instagram account.
Will the Ban on Political Statements Impact Customers?
Airlines already have a say in what passengers wear on an aircraft. There have been multiple incidents in which passengers have been asked to change clothes or risk denial of boarding. Last December on an American Airlines flight from New York to Phoenix, a passenger was asked to remove a sweater that had “Palestine” written on it.
Airlines have a contract of carriage that every customer agrees to when they buy a ticket, including their terms of flying-attire. However, it’s not explicitly written what may get you barred–like a political statement–so it’s subjective and open to interpretation.
American Airlines, for example, mentions that bare feet and inappropriate clothing aren’t allowed. JetBlue also doesn’t allow barefoot passengers and lewd, offensive, or obscene clothing. Hawaiian specifies dressing attire–lower torso covered, footwear necessary, tank tops are allowed, but no speedos or bikini bottoms–and warns against obscene or lewd clothing.
What’s considered obscene or lewd is not defined by any airline. It is up to the airline and its staff to conclude what’s offensive; customers may be denied boarding if an agent finds clothing inappropriate. It’s also not true that every passenger will be pulled up for the same offense—fashion policing, especially with women, often generates controversy.
Ultimately, airline staffers are the ones who make decisions to let it fly (or not) on the spot.
Related: Do Airlines Have the Right to Dictate Dress Codes?