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Too Sexy to Fly?

Posted: Friday, September 07, 2007 9:45 AM by Dan Fleschner
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This morning, Matt interviewed Kyla Ebbert, a 23-year-old college student who works as a waitress at Hooters. WATCH VIDEO

Two months ago, she boarded a Southwest Airlines flight from San Diego to Tucson. Before the flight took off, she was escorted into the jetway by a customer service representative, who asked her to change her clothes.

She didn't have any other clothes with her -- she had no luggage -- so the customer service rep told her to go home and change, then get a later flight. She said she had an appointment that she couldn't change, so after getting a lecture on appropriate attire, she was allowed to re-board the plane. But once back in her seat, she had to cover her legs with a blanket for the entire flight.

Kyla wore the same outfit to the show this morning (see below).

At first, when she appeared on the set, it didn't seem like her outfit was so inappropriate. It was clear that her skirt was pretty short, but it didn't seem worthy of getting a lecture from a customer service representative on how to dress.

But when she sat down, we learned just how short that skirt was -- when she flashed our national television audience. Yeah, that skirt was short.

So there are a lot of questions here. What is appropriate dress for flying? Who should decide what is appropriate? Should airlines have a dress code? And without a dress code, can an airline block someone from flying? (You can vote on whether you think this outfit is inappropriate HERE.)

Southwest did, in fact, let her take the flight, but apparently not without embarrassing her and making a scene. It seems like unless there was a particular incident or complaint from other customers, then she should have been allowed to fly without any issues.

But as we learned this morning, that skirt was indeed pretty short.

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Other than the lovely "crotch shot" that I was able to witness as Kyla returned to a seated position after she was standing to "show" her outfit, I can't imagine why the airlines would be upset...thank God Kyla had lovely white underwear on and was not going "commando"...please girls.....so you have nice legs....I don't need to see them all the way up to your torso....
Well...the top is fine, but the skirt is too short.  Enough to be kicked off a plane? No.  Enough to look like your taste-less female American clone? ALL DAY.  She's not really an attractive girl, so perhaps the offense was more the whole package more than the length of the skirt.
I am not a prude and certainly enjoy looking at beautiful women;however, the fact that your station chose to blur out Kyla's crotch area when she sat down on the set speaks volumes. Obviously it would have been at least as revealing on an airplane seat.
Southwest has lost me a customer and anyone else I can convince otherwise.I had been flying SW for well over decade.
That one of your stewards had the unmitigated nerve to question a passenger about her apparel with such callous disregard.

NEVER will I or anyone I can convince to fly Southwest again.

Where do you get off? How dare I hear that SW is a family airline while simultaneously handing out drink coupons. I would have to question the motives of the steward who did confront Ms. Ebbert. I can only specualate the persons disposition however, if in fact the steward to comment that the :entire outfit is wrong".....

When Matt Lauer asked Kyla Ebbert to sit down her panties were clearly visible. If people can be arrested for wearing their pants too low then I believe people can be asked to leave a commercial airline for wearing their dresses too high.
Two questions for Matt:
would you want to sit in her seat for the next flight?
would you want your child to be touching the spot she sat on.
She could have switched to the skirt before the Hooters interview and worn pants for her safety and our safety per hygiene.
Thanks for acknowledging the flash. I was annoyed Today edited it from the 9:00 rerun, which without the "shot" made her outfit seem tame. Nice that someone at Today realized the viewing audience had already figured out the flaw, from the live broadcast, and had the honesty to tell it like it really was here.    
About 14 months ago, I took a Southwest flight and was also humiliated in front of an entire airplane full of people.  The flight was held from taking off because I was made to purchase a second ticket due to me weight.  Mind you, I fit in my seat with a seat belt, and I was not in the space of the person next to me (someone I happened to be flying with at the time).  We were seat in the front of the plane so when we were not allowed to take off, people began to ask why and listen in as the flight attendant asked for my credit card to charge the second seat.  Then he left and came back about 5 minutes later with the receipt I needed to sign... once again as the entire plane watched.  I was mortified.  I am not an unreasonable person; in fact, I am a pastor.  I understand policies and the need to enforce rules, but I was neither in anyone elses space nor was I unable to put the arms of my chair down and fasten my seatbelt.  Therefore i was left to conclude that this was Southwests way of making an extra buck.  They've lost my business for good, along with many of my friends and colleagues.  Never will I fly their airline again.
Yes I do feel this is to sexy. Notice her struggle to position her skirt when she stood up to cover herself properly. You could also see too much leg while she was sitting in the chair. Watch the vidio.
I think all of you should replay the interview Matt had with Kyla, watch carefully as the cameraman immediately 'blocks' out her crotch area as she sits down.  Obviously, Natalie is correct in saying "what was she wearing under her skirt"?  If your show had to block out what they saw between her legs she probably displayed more on the airlines for all to see!!  And then for her to come back wearing the same outfit, I think she was just asking for confrontation.  In every airport they have shops to purchase sweat pants, shorts, etc.  It would have taken five minutes to purchase something more appropriate to wear.  As for the top I think that was fine, you see many women of all ages display more than she is.
Please Southwest limit the skirt size for hygiene reasons or if it were a man their pants length.  Many people do not wear underwear these days so it is unsafe for the person as well as those who have to sit in the seat after the person leaves.  I know people who have worked for Hooters and it is easier to get more tips the less you wear.  Again, safety first for all and save the skimpy wear for Hooters not the public.    
The crotch shot on the Today Show made me think - ok, she says she had her legs crossed but maybe she crossed and uncrossed a la Sharon Stone thereby giving some passengers a free shot. What was she wearing underneath?? Why didn't Matt ask her about that particular item of clothing?  I don't think the Southwest attendant was offended, I think some other passenger(s) was offended and complained. And let's face it, if she was not thin, with long tan legs, more people would probably be saying her outfit was inappropriate. I have read other website articles regarding this issue and there are plenty of " I wouldn't mind her sitting next to me and crawling past me to get to her seat" type comments.
Please!!!! This girl obviously wants attention!  If this was a man with his penis hanging out, people would be more upset.  I've seen these girls (not many) but some, that wear these short skirts.  Once, I was trying to eat my breakfast at an IHop and this girl with this short skirt was at a table where you could see every detail in her underware.  I was happy that she had underwear on.  It was disgusting.  Would it be appropriate for men to open playboy books and hold them up while they eat letting kids see them.  Lets be reasonable here.  All these people want is attention.  I feel sorry for them since I feel that they have a strong need for attention.  I think that the airline had the right to protect others!!  The poll should include Male/Female, single/married, etc. to have the true picture of the polling results.
I see this inappropriate dress in airports all the time. They think by wearing this is sexy.  
If it was so appropriate why did NBC blank out the crouch when she sat down and crossed her legs.  That should tell you something.   She appears so niave on the show, but she knew what she was doing.  
She appears of age to know better.  I would bet that the skirt was higher and the top lower on the airplane.
Good for Southwest! Except they should NOT have let her back on until she changed.  Southwest obviously had had a complaint about the crotch shot she couldn't help but be giving and we should be encouraging our daughters that they have more value than just their bodies, shame sometimes is a good thing.
I think it is funny how no one complains day to day about what people are wearing on an airplane or on the streets, until a television show airs it as a "story".
Her skirt may have been too short for many, but without a dress code in place it is only ones opinion, and should be kept as one, until the time where the airline makes new policy.  
You can see her hip-bones so you can judge where her "private "area is ....where her top skirt snap is. That is how far she had pulled it down...so nothing would show. Maybe she hadn't pulled it dopwn onthe plane. I did see that the Today Show had to blur her "skirt" area as she went to sit down b'c of its "revalations" I'll bet other passengers saw more than we did & complained. The airline could have offered her the blanket discreetly to begin with but that girl knew what it was all about. She dressed like that on purpose & knew how short it was before she ever got on that plane. If I was her mother, I would have told her that she shouldn't have worn it when she knew that it showed private places.
Does any one remember this is the same airline that had the attendants wearing hot pants????? Bless her heart she's not that pretty of a girl and looks like she's trying to look like Paris Hilton but please!!!!!!!!!!! Ever see what folks wear headed to Cancun??? Southwest should pay for this big time!
If the outfit is so acceptable, why did the network censor her crotch area with a cloud cover when she sat down?  This censor does not show on this video but it was present when I was watching the live TV story.  Why would a beautiful and poised girl want to dress as close to indecency as possible?  Why would her mother not advise her regarding the connection of apprepriate dress and self respect?
Instead of focusing on the young lady and her outfit, which by the way is what all the chic designers that the yuppies go goo-goo over pushed this summer, how about bringing the person who complained on your show and ask them why they think they have the right to dictate what others wear!
I am thinking the complaint probably came from another customer who disapproved of her appearance, not stemmed from the airline.  But the complaint was handled badly, maybe SW should have offered her a blanket to begin with with an explanation of the complaint.  And yes, I believe her dress is inapproprate for anything. Dressing like that shows disrespect for yourself and others, and only invites problems.  Her mother should be embarrased as well.(a different issue)
As the mother of a 19 yr. old college student, I'm painfully aware that this is the current style of dress for the college set.  In my opinion the skirt is too short, but hey, you should see what some of my co-workers(in their 30's & 40's)deem appropriate to wear to work!
Time to grow up Kyla. You weren't on a music video. And IF you want to project something about yourself in how you dress then, don't go crying when people notice and find it as they do. Mom, time to cut the cord. If it were so humiliating for Kyla, I doubt it would be wise to whine about it all on national tv. But if you need attention badly enough no telling where the hem will end.I wasn't conservative in my youth, but didn't cry about what others may have thought or said to me. By the way at least kyla wasn't told at her seat . Could have been more more embarassing if the steward were less discreet. She's the one who gave up her discretion.
Glad I'm not the only one who saw the "blurred out" crotch scene of this young woman's very obscenely short skirt! It certainly shows that NBC thinks the skirt was too short and "obscene". I think Southwest Airlines should use this clip in their defense when the lawsuit is filed inevitably. I do think that the flight attendant should have spoken to her in private - public humiliation was not necessary.
My concern as a parent of a 17 year old female is the message her mother was sending.  The outfit was not appropriate for air travel.  The one thing I do agree with is the outfit is great for a college girl...who is on campus.
Seeing someone's underwear when they sit down is NOT appropriate-PERIOD! (am I the only one that saw that?) You don't have to be covered head to toe, but have some class.  Whoever encouraged her to go on national TV about this really did her a disservice.  Now instead of the couple hundred people on the plane getting to oogle her, they have allowed millions to get that chance.  Good Job, Mom -- I bet lots of men are thanking you for the opportunity you have given them.
While the Southwest rep did not use tact and was not discreet about asking her to change clothes, as they should have been, I do agree her skirt was too short. I have no problem with the top if it was worn at the same height  on the flight. However the young lady is mistaken if she thought no one could see anything while walking past her down the aisle.It also appears that the skirt was really pulled down low on the hips when she appeared on tv today, and it is still  TOO short. Apparently she had it up higher on her hips when they stopped her and I can only imagine how high it was. It is also not sanitary to wear a clothing that short and sit on a seat. I would not want to sit on that same seat after her. Her mother obviously doesn't care about clothing in good taste. I have no problem with shorter skirts as long as they are of an appropriate length.  I think that Southwest or any airline does have a right to ask  a passenger to wear appropriate length  bottoms as it is not sanitary . I do feel they were not discreet enough in doing so however.  
    On the other hand there IS TIME to pick up something in the airport to wear on the return flight. You have to be at the airport in plenty of time to checkin- If she really was SO EMBARRASSED to have people look at her she would have bought something to cover up with on the return trip at the airport.
    By going on National tv she has embarrassed herself more because now people will laugh at her not realizing how in poor taste she looked and how revealing her outfit really is. I hope she videotaped her segment because she proved her skirt was too short by appearing on tv.  
   
 
Why did the camera have to move to Matt's face when the young "lady" sat back down?  If it was too graphic for morning television, then I believe it was too graphic for the other passengers on that flight.  No shoes, no shirt (or skirt), no service...
I am dissapointed that no one stands up to tell this female (not a lady) that showing her "stuff" to the world is not appropriate in public.  I don't want to see it and reading through the blogs I'd say that most women and men do not want to see it.  She has the same stuff as the rest of the female population and it's nothing special to most of us.  As a matter of fact her disrespect for herself makes her stuff even less special.  Thank you Matt Lauer for having the nerve to at least point out the view that the other passengers were receiving, even though I guarantee that she knew exactly what she was showing.  A girl does not where a skirt that short without wanting everyone to "accidently" see her stuff.  What a disgraceful way to get on TV. Why was she even allowed on TV.  Who wants to see this trash?  Ask the camera man if he thought it inappropriate, he had to blot out her crotch area.
Shame on the mother for saying that all girls her age wear this type of dress.  Sadly many do, but not all and the inappropriateness of others does not make it right.  
I'm sorry to see the Today Show run this segment twice in on show.  Kyla Ebbert is getting the kind of attention she wanted when she got dressed to fly that morning.  "Called her Mom cring"  Give me a break.  I applaud Southwest Air.  Notice that the Today Show had to blur her crotch as she sat down.  That right there tells the story of how inappropirately she was dressed.  She wishes she was Paris Hilton and the Today Show is giving her the attention she is begging for!  I'm sorry to see this.
This woman's clothing was certainly "inappropreate." As a frequent flyier I don't want to see "clevage" on a womans body from "either end." Dress code or not the airline did the right thing. This was not a "nudist flight." If she was so "humiliated" she did't have to get back on the same airline. She's had her 15 minutes of fame so lets move on. This was really not "news."

I phoned SW airline PR office immediately after the Today Show spot aired. I identified myself as a frequent flier on SW and said that I was horrified that they would invent a dress code as the flight was ready to depart. I was mid-sentence when they hung up on me.

Ms. Ebbert's skirt was short but she looked great. I've had many SW flight attendants wearing short shorts, exposing fat legs. I'd rather fly with Kyla. If I can't find a different airline, I'll drive.  No thanks Southwest.
If the skirt had been shorts the same length would there have been a problem?  I think not!  I personally think there were some very jealous flight attendents or woman on the flight who were envious they couldn't pull off an outfit like that.  Ladies think about when you were 23 I know I wore hot pants as they were called back then.
I,too, am incensed that when I watched the live show this morning she flashed her panties as she sat down but later when it's being rerun they are editing out that shot - this contributes to the public not understanding why Southwest took that action - her inability to keep her crotch out of sight even from 5 million viewers just might have contributed to someone expressing their reaction to a flight attendant who then asked the young woman to cover up. My daily life is spent in airports and I can tell you that Southwest is one of the premier airlines to fly amongst people who fly daily - they care about their passengers and treat them as people, not cargo.  For those of you who don't know, those of us "in the know" prefer two airlines above all others - Jet Blue and Southwest!  What looks ok in Hooters should stay in Hooters!  
The top was appropriate, but the"crotch shot" as she sat down....Pleaaaaaaaaassssseeeeeeee! The flight attendant was correct. I would not want to sit in that seat next... The camera clearly caught the shot for a reason revealing her underwear at 8:00. Disgusting in public. Hooray for Southwest.. Obviously this girl has no clue and this beneath Today and Matt Lauer to have her come onto the show for more attention getting.
Nice crotch shot with the white undies.  the second time this segment ran the shot was removed she went from standing to a sitting position. I still don't believe she should of been removed from the flight, but i'm not sure i would want my daughter showing her unerwear on national telivision.
Come on, Matt!  Why were you so defensive on this girl's behalf?  After you got all up in the air in her defense, making Southwest Airlines the villain, you had her stand up and then flash her private parts to the viewing public when she sat down. If you can't keep that from happening on national t.v., then maybe you need a longer skirt out in public. How dare she pretend that Southwest Airlines humiliated her.  She humiliated herself then and again by appearing on television!
Do we even know that Kyla was wearing underwear when she boarded the plane? I don't recall hearing this issue addressed. Maybe someone saw more than they should and complained to the flight attendant. I also believe it speaks volumes that the network blurred out Kyla's crotch as she sat down. It was also very telling that she was pulling on her skirt trying to get it to cover more. She needs to be more considerate of the people around her. I am sorry that she was embarrassed but what about the people around her that she embarrassed?
Southwest has the right to protect their image, restaurants and stores do it all the time.  Also, Kyla's outfit could have been positioned very differently.  I wear the same type clothing and know how to manipulate it to be more or less revealing.  I feel quite confident she was less revealing on the today show than she was on the airplane.  Not to mention, she said she was humiliated and didn't want attention ... come on ... you don't wear an outfit like that unless you want a little attention.  Of course she is giving herself far more attention than anyone on the plane.  I do feel SW could have been a little more tactful, but obviously she really does not mind attention or a little drama.  
her skirt is fine for partying and hooking up but not for traveling on a plane with mixed passengers.  She is a beautiful girl, why would she think that she needs to expose everything, there is a place and time for everything and this was not the place, and your show was not the place either since is was clouded out.  She needed to cover up.  What is her mom thinking?  
Kyla certainly received the attention she was seeking (or dressing for).  Imagine the view anyone seated on the airplane was treated to, let alone stairs or escalators! It's like the kid with the purple hair and many piercings ...hey whataya looking at?
I would like to commend Southwest Airlines for showing that at least some people still have some morals!!!  People only wear clothes like that to get attention and guess what, it worked!  I think it is really disgusting and should open a lot of peoples eyes to the decline in morale values. I think the Today show must agree or you would not have censored her flashing the camera!!!
I am very disappointed with Today show for airing this kind of junk.  So what if Southwest made a point of people wearing inappropriate clothing(which I'm glad they did), so what if a trash young girl and her mom's feelings were hurt, so what???  It's about time someone in our society step up and say something about inappropriate displays.
In an era of baggy, butt showing pants, thongs, and cleavage revealing tops...why was this a story?
Read all the blogs, totally agree that the skirt was too short. She is not that pretty and was using her rather skimpy assests to draw attention. If she was appropriate why cover the crotch when she set down. Matt is wrong and any establishment has the right to serve or not to serve. remember, "no shirt, no shoes, no service". I'll bet the top was closer and the skirt was down more for the show.
I was surprised to see the part of the interview where Kyla had to return to the sitting position during the later airing of this segment was skipped.  The original airing, in good taste, blurred out her crotch area so we couldn't see her underwear.  Although the version on the web shows it clearly, without the "blurring" effect.  I find it hard to believe that Kyla could have maintained a cross-leg seated position for her entire flight.  At some point she would have had to uncross her legs again, giving anyone full view of her underwear, like she did on your show.  As a mother of daughters, I would never permit my daughters to wear, let alone purchase a skirt that is so short you cannot sit or bend comfortably without showing too much to those around you.  However, I do not find her outfit cause to remove her from the flight.  Maybe Southwest should have offered her the blanket to use as a cover-up while discreetly whispering to her that too much was showing in the seated position.  This may have saved her some embarassment.  I think Kyla, her mother & their attorney should watch the footage of her on your show (without skipping or blurring out any segments) so she can really see what everyone on the plane was getting a view of!
This is all very ironic, because in its early days, Southwest Airlines stewardesses wore short little things known as "hot pants." Southwest got lots of attention (and lots of business) this way. So Southwest might reconsider their "holier than thou" attitude.
I find it interesting that the Today show blurbed out Kyla's crotch shot during the later run of this story.  The fact that you had to cover it up the first time, and chose to edit it the second time should tell you that the outfit was inappropriate for public viewing when she sat down.  It's insulting that Today makes this girl look like a victim when she is obviously looking for attention.  I am a frequent flyer and although I am certainly not a prude, I certainly do not wish for myself or my family to view someone's crotch as we board a plane.  Kudos to Southwest - Shame on Kyla AND HER MOTHER for not knowing that Hooter's attire is not OK everywhere!!!
It's amazing what "lengths" we go to these days in order to be stylish.  I believe the young lady knew that her skirt was too short because, I believe, I heard her say on camera that "she did have her legs crossed."  We are living in such an amoral world today that it appears anything goes...even for the sake of fashion.  IF it's OK for Serena Williams to wear "daisy dukes" during the US Open and see her pulling her shorts down (front and back); and IF there is no dress code; I guess "What will be will be."  We need to be INDIVIDUALLY responsible for our choices.
I think it was inappropriate to wear the skirt as short as it was, and the top was quite tight, and I noticed when she sat down after "showing" what she wore, the camera "beeped" out her crotch area what does that say???? (I don't think ANY female should be walking around looking like some do, they are just asking for trouble. "older" females should be an example to younger ones. No I'm not jealous, just worried for our girls of today.) Just goes to show to be more modest, it is offensive to most Americans.


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