Sara Blake Cheek, a former Playboy Playmate and current OF model, has accused American Airlines of discrimination, particularly over her body and choice of outfit.
The confrontation took place last Sunday (August 31) in Atlanta, just before boarding. The 34-year-old said a flight attendant stopped her at the gate and told her to button her shirt or she wouldn’t be allowed to board.
Highlights
- An adult model accused American Airlines of discrimination after a flight attendant asked her to cover her chest.
- AAL apologized and is now investigating the incident internally.
- The airline is facing renewed criticism for inconsistent enforcement of their dress code, which critics say is vague and discriminatory.
The model had been wearing a black bandeau top underneath an unbuttoned yellow flannel, paired with jeggings, high socks, and sneakers.
“I was unaware that American Airlines had a dress code that said you can’t wear athletic attire if you have a big chest,” she wrote on X, along with a photo of the outfit.
Adult model accused American Airlines of discrimination after she was asked to button her shirt before boarding a plane
Image credits: onlysarablake / Instagram
Cheek justified her reaction by explaining the confrontation had occurred after a grueling day of canceled flights, two reschedulings, and yet another delay out of Atlanta.
Just as she was finally about to board, a flight attendant approached her and told her to button her shirt.
“Now the flight attendant tells me to button my shirt,” she wrote, “but not the other women wearing the same outfit, just in a different color than me.”
Image credits: Shutr / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
“Glad I’m a platinum member,” she added sarcastically.
For the adult model, the issue was clear. The complaints weren’t about her outfit, but about her body and how her “attributes” looked underneath her top.
Image credits: onlysarablake / Instagram
Supporters wasted no time in making their outrage known. They slammed the airline for body-shaming and policing the appearances of curvier women, especially those with public platforms.
Image credits: saracheeky1
More neutral netizens, on the other hand, pointed to American Airlines’ dress code, which explicitly states that passengers should “dress appropriately,” with bare feet and offensive clothing in particular being enough to deny boarding.
Image credits: saracheeky1
The airline has gone on to describe what “appropriately” means in that context, explaining that, “When we say offensive or distractive, we mean you shouldn’t wear anything that's overly revealing,” AAL wrote.
American Airlines issued an apology and said they would investigate the issue internally
Image credits: saracheeky1
Cheek’s post, coupled with her ability to rile up her fans and make waves on social media, made the airline cave into the pressure, and they have since issued an apology.
Image credits: saracheeky1
“We have a deep culture of respect for both our customers and our team members, and we're sorry for anything less than consistent and friendly service,” AAL wrote.
“We’re sharing this experience with crew leadership internally.”
The airline also invited the adult model to send her contact information so a “specialist” could take a closer look at her case, hinting at a refund.
Image credits: saracheeky1
As many outlets have pointed out, this isn’t the first time American Airlines has butted heads with female influencers trying to board planes while wearing slightly revealing clothes; something that’s not surprising given the airlines’ aforementioned dress code.
Image credits: onlysarablake / Instagram
For instance, in 2022, former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo was asked to cover her chest after arriving in a black crop top and bike shorts ahead of a flight to Mexico.
Echoing what happened to Cheek, Culpo said she later saw another woman in a nearly identical outfit who was allowed to board without issue.
Image credits: AmericanAir
The following year, comedians Chrissie Mayr and Keanu Thompson were stopped at the gate before a flight to Dallas and allegedly forced to change clothes in public.
Mayr had been wearing sparkly pants and a cropped top. Thompson was in a bralette and slit skirt. Neither was told specifically what rule they were violating.
Image credits: onlysarablake / Instagram
“The man at the gate just touched me on the arm and said, ‘Come with me… you have to change your pants,’” Mayr recalled.
“It was such a panicked situation, I felt like I had to instantly do what he said or else we wouldn’t be allowed to board.”
As a result of these incidents, people believe AAL specifically targets influencers more severely, and uses them as examples to enforce vague policies in a performative way.
The airline was accused of racism in 2024 after they removed a group of Black men from a flight due to “bad odor”
Image credits: onlysarablake / Instagram
Beyond social media controversies, the vagueness in American Airlines’ internal policies has landed them in legal hot water, and is now at the center of a federal lawsuit.
In January 2024, three Black men, Alvin Jackson, Emmanuel Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal, were ordered off a flight from Phoenix to New York, along with five other Black male passengers, after a flight attendant reportedly complained about “body odor.”
Image credits: auroraculpo / Instagram
The airline never identified which passenger the complaint referred to. Nor did they accuse any of the men directly.
The men didn’t know each other. They weren’t seated together. But they all shared one thing in common: the color of their skin.
Image credits: keanuCthompson
“Imagine a flight attendant ordering every white person off a plane because of a complaint about one white person. That would never happen,” the plaintiffs said in a joint statement.
According to the complaint, an American Airlines representative at the gate admitted she didn’t “disagree” when the men pointed out that only Black passengers were being removed. And when the pilot informed the rest of the cabin about the supposed odor issue, the implication was clear.
"Just doing their job." Netizens took to social media to debate on the airlines' dress code
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