July 21, 2025
Spirit Airlines’ new dress code left one woman barred from boarding her flight home.
Tanasia Grayer said she was denied entry on a Spirit Airlines flight from Miami to Chicago over her shorts.
Grayer said she was stunned when a Spirit Airlines employee told her she couldn’t board her July 16 flight due to her outfit. Her blue shorts set reportedly violated a dress code Spirit introduced in January 2025, which tightened rules on passenger attire. What began as a dress code dispute quickly escalated, leading to Grayer’s sister, Jessica Kordelewski, being arrested.
“We were getting ready to board the plane, and the lady at the front desk stopped me and said, ‘You’re not getting on a plane like that,’” Grayer told CBS News Miami. “So, I looked at her and I said, ‘Like what?’ She said, ‘With those shorts.’”
The day after the incident, Grayer was still wearing the same outfit, as her luggage had already been sent to Chicago. She pointed out that the shorts she wore on her Spirit flight to Miami were just as short, but the staff didn’t say anything.
“They treated me like a real criminal in there,” she said, referring to her experience at Miami International Airport.
Kordelewski was arrested at MIA on a disorderly conduct charge. The two ended up booking a return flight with a different airline, and say they don’t plan on coming back to Miami anytime soon.
In February, Spirit Airlines rolled out a stricter dress code after several viral incidents where passengers were barred from boarding for wearing crop tops or hoodies with profanity. To avoid confusion, the airline clarified its rules and provided staff with extra training.
The updated contract of carriage now states that passengers may be denied boarding if the passenger “is barefoot or inadequately clothed (i.e., see-through clothing; not adequately covered; exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts), or whose clothing or article, including body art, is lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature; or h. has an offensive odor unless caused by a qualified disability.”
Following the incident with Grayer, Spirit Airlines released a statement defending its staff and saying Grayer refused to comply with its Contract of Carriage policy.
“We always want our Guests to feel welcome and have a great experience. Consistent with other U.S. airlines, our Contract of Carriage contains certain clothing standards for all Guests traveling with us,” the statement said. “Our records show a Guest was not in compliance with our Contract of Carriage and refused to comply when provided an opportunity to do so. The Guest and their travel companion were eventually denied boarding after displaying disruptive behavior. Further questions should be directed to law enforcement.”
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