Tanasia Grayer says what should’ve been a normal flight home turned into chaos when she was denied boarding a Spirit Airlines flight over her shorts. The Miami-to-Chicago flight took a left turn on July 16 when an airline employee allegedly told Grayer that her outfit was inappropriate according to the airline’s updated dress code policy.
“We were getting ready to board the plane, and the lady at the front desk, she stopped me and said: ‘You’re not getting on a plane like that,'” Grayer told CBS News. Grayer says she was wearing a pair of standard shorts and a robe—something she had no issues wearing when she initially flew into Miami.
“This is just regular shorts. This is how I walked through the airport. This is how I walked through the airport with these shorts with my robe. This is exactly how I have my clothes,” she explained.
Spirit Airlines’ Dress Code Policy Leads to Arrest
According to reports, Spirit Airlines implemented a stricter dress code policy in January 2025, though enforcement of that policy has largely been unclear and reportedly inconsistent. While the airline has not commented publicly on this specific incident, their published guidelines allow gate agents to deny boarding to passengers they deem “inappropriately dressed.”
Grayer claims she wore the same outfit without issue on her flight to Miami—but was shocked when she was told she couldn’t fly back to Chicago in the same attire.
What made the situation worse was how it escalated. Grayer’s sister, Jessica Kordelewksi, was arrested for disorderly conduct during the confrontation at the gate. Details of the alleged disorderly behavior haven’t been released, but the family insists the entire situation could have been avoided with more communication and understanding.
Spirit Airlines said in the following statement to the outlet that they gave Grayer the opportunity to change her attire:
“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. 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.”