Spanish airline, Vueling, has been fined 28,000 euros for giving a woman in a low-cut body-suit the cold shoulder and not allowing her to board one of their flights because she was not dressed appropriately. The woman was about to board a flight from Palma to Barcelona when she received a dressing down by airline staff.
Fellow passengers rallied around her but airline staff remained adamant; she was not boarding the flight dressed like that! The woman contacted the Consumers Association who took action on her behalf. The association reported the facts to the Aviation Authorities as it understood that the rights of this passenger had been violated "discriminating against her because of the way she was dressed, leaving her completely defenceless in front of fellow passengers".
The incident occurred in 2019 and the case was resolved in October 2020, although it has not been until now that the association has been informed about the result of its complaint.
The aviation authority imposed a fine of 28,000 euros on the airline for having infringed several articles of the Aviation Safety Act 21/2003 of 7 July 2003 concerning infringements of civil aviation safety. Also European rules on compensation and assistance to air passengers in the event of denied boarding and cancellation or long delay of flights.
The woman passenger has welcomed the fine and has said that she didn't deserve to be treated in that way.