Daniel Podosky was en route to Chicago when his plane briefly landed in St. Louis to avoid a storm brewing in the Windy City. After returning from the airport bathroom, he was kicked off the plane for his t-shirt, which read “Broad Fucking City.”
Podosky claims he would have done what was asked of him, but the video he took of the altercation shows just the opposite: A Southwest Airlines’ gate agent asked him to either change his shirt, put his jacket over it, or turn it inside out. Podosky refused to do any of these things, claiming it was his freedom of speech.
As a result, he was kicked off his flight. Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, issued a response saying “We rely on our Employees and Customers to use common sense and good judgment.” When asked if he wore the shirt knowing it would offend someone, Podosky said “There are more than a hundred people on the plane trying to get to Chicago and the most important thing is my shirt? How does that work?”
In the case of what is considered “appropriate” attire, it appears that Southwest Airlines has won this round: At 7:15 pm, Podosky caught another flight with the airline after he agreed to change his shirt. Sorry, Ilana and Abbi.
Image via The Cannabist