Forget #LeggingsGate: Saudi Arabian Airlines denies passengers the right to bare arms (and legs)

Brett T. | 5:00 PM on August 10, 2017

Remember back in March, when anti-gun crusader Shannon Watts kicked off a public relations nightmare for United Airlines by tweeting how she’d witnessed a gate agent refuse to allow two girls to board a flight unless they changed out of their leggings or put on dresses over them?

It wasn’t long before #LeggingsGate made headlines and celebrities began trashing the airline on social media. What was lost in early reporting was that the girls didn’t meet the airline’s dress code for those flying for free as part of the airline’s employee and family program.

Let’s hope the crusaders who blew up a dress code violation into an international incident saved some of their energy, since Saudi Arabian Airlines, also known as Saudia, has warned passengers that they may be denied boarding if they are “clothed in a manner that would cause discomfort or offense to other passengers.”

Saudi Arabian Airlines warns #passengers who show bare arms, legs or feet could be denied boarding. #dresscode #Saudia

— Richard Dagenais (@Dagenator) August 10, 2017

To be more specific, the dress code applies to “women exposing legs or arms, or wearing too thin or too tight clothes and men wearing shorts exposing legs.”

#SaudiaAirlines' dress code policy seems to be causing some discomfort and offense ? pic.twitter.com/SkcRb8Be6T

— DW News (@dwnews) August 10, 2017

Saudi Arabian Airlines refuses to fly passengers who show arms or legs https://t.co/e1N9ucREeB pic.twitter.com/qABjT7X9XX

— Telegraph Travel (@TelegraphTravel) August 10, 2017

Saudia was met with plenty of grief of its own online.

https://twitter.com/PrivateOr/status/895711625323438080