United Airlines defends decision after barring girls for leggings

Denver

UNITED Airlines barred two teenage girls from boarding a flight on Sunday morning and required a child to change into a dress after a gate agent decided that the leggings they were wearing were inappropriate. That set off waves of anger on social media, with users criticising what they called an intrusive, sexist policy, but the airline maintained its support for the gate agent's decision.

The two girls, who were about to board a flight to Minneapolis, were turned away at the gate at Denver International Airport, the company said on Sunday. United doubled down on that decision, defending it in a series of tweets on Sunday.

The incident was first reported on Twitter by Shannon Watts, a passenger at the airport who was waiting to board a flight to Mexico. In a phone interview from Mexico on Sunday afternoon, Ms Watts said she noticed two visibly upset teenage…