Influencer claims Lufthansa staff called her 'naked'
German fitness influencer Edda Elisa Pilz, 24, has ignited a heated online debate after claiming she was temporarily refused boarding on a Lufthansa flight because airline staff considered her gym outfit too revealing. Pilz, who has amassed more than 550,000 Instagram followers, posted an emotional video from the airport alleging she was stopped at the boarding gate while wearing a sports bra-style crop top and fitted cycling shorts.
“Lufthansa we need to talk,” she said in the now-viral video shared on her Instagram account, translated from German. “It was 30 degrees outside and I was about to board the plane when the woman scanning boarding passes looked at me and said, ‘You can’t board like that.’ I asked, ‘Why not?’ and she said, ‘You’re not wearing anything. You’re naked.’”
Influencer forced to cover up
Edda said she was shocked by the exchange and the tone. “She told me I wasn’t wearing normal clothing and that I had to put something over it,” she said. “She told me to step aside and said I could only board once I had something on.” The influencer said she put on a jacket but claimed staff still wouldn’t allow her to board until she zipped it up completely. “It was 30 degrees outside,” she said.
“Then she told me, ‘Because of you the whole flight is delayed because you’re holding everyone up.’ I’ve never heard of a dress code on a plane.” Edda also questioned whether women were being judged differently to men. “Men get straight onto the plane when they’re coming back from Mallorca,” she said, referring to the Spanish holiday island, which is known for attracting large numbers of German partygoers. “I accept rules, but it’s the way they were communicated.”
Online opinion divided
The video quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of views and divided opinion online, with thousands weighing in over what is considered appropriate attire when flying. Many backed the airline, arguing airports and aircraft are public spaces where passengers should dress respectfully. “Honestly, I don’t even know how someone gets the idea to board a plane dressed like that,” one person wrote. Another said the issue was “about dressing appropriately for the occasion”, arguing the same standard would apply to men attempting to board shirtless.
Others pointed to hygiene, noting airline seats are not disinfected after every flight and saying exposed skin coming into contact with shared seating was a concern. Several commenters identifying themselves as cabin crew also suggested practical safety reasons could justify requiring more coverage. “If you have to evacuate down an emergency slide, you’ll burn your legs in that outfit,” one flight attendant wrote. Another commenter, claiming to be an aviation doctor, said clothing was “not always just a question of style”, arguing cabin crew must consider emergencies, cold cabin temperatures and unexpected delays.
But many others accused the airline of unfairly policing women’s clothing. “It’s a completely normal sports outfit,” one supporter wrote. “Since when do employees get to decide what someone is allowed to wear?” Another said the language allegedly used by the gate agent was “disrespectful”, adding that women should not be judged because of their clothing.
Lufthansa responds
Lufthansa declined to comment on the specific incident but confirmed it expects passengers to dress appropriately when travelling. “Lufthansa takes reports of possible issues in the way passengers are treated very seriously and investigates such incidents internally,” the airline said in a statement. “However, due to privacy obligations, we cannot comment on matters involving individual passengers or employees.
“Generally, Lufthansa expects all passengers to wear clothing that is appropriate for the nature of public travel and does not negatively affect the wellbeing of fellow passengers from a wide range of cultural backgrounds,” the statement said. “That expectation forms part of our Conditions of Carriage. Our employees act on that basis with discretion and appropriate judgement.” The airline added the language allegedly used by the staff member “does not correspond to our standards”.
Could the same thing happen in Australia?
It depends on the airline, with carriers adopting different dress requirements for passengers. Virgin Australia requires passengers to wear footwear along with clothing covering the lower body and a shirt. Passengers who do not meet the minimum dress requirements may be asked to change before boarding.
Jetstar has a similar policy, requiring passengers to wear footwear during boarding and disembarking. The airline also prohibits clothing displaying offensive words, images or symbols. Both Virgin Australia and Jetstar explicitly state that “thongs are acceptable” footwear when boarding their aircraft.
Qantas does not have a published passenger dress code. However, its Conditions of Carriage allow the airline to refuse carriage if a passenger “may materially affect the comfort of any person in the aircraft”, fails to follow staff instructions relating to safety or security, or is “not wearing footwear”. Separate dress guidelines apply in Qantas airport lounges.
