Former WWE star and fitness model Natalie Eva Marie has accused Australian airline Qantas of “gender discrimination”, after she was refused entry to the business lounge.
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In a post to Twitter this week, the US athlete said she was denied access to the lounge in Melbourne while wearing an orange two-piece activewear set and matching sneakers.
“In 2020 Qantas airlines Melbourne won’t allow a woman holding a business class ticket to enter their business class lounge in active wear,” she wrote.
“My business IS fitness and an active lifestyle. Qantas prefers their women in a dress.”
Qantas regulations stipulate that passengers in “head-to-toe gym wear” will not be allowed in, but Eva Marie said that there was an issue with how this dress code was enforced.
In a follow-up Tweet, she shared a photo of her husband, in short shorts and a t-shirt that could also be construed as gym attire, and said that he was allowed right in. She wrote:
“This is NOT a dress code issue, I support a [business’] right to enforce equitable dress code standards. However, My husband was allowed in no problem wearing this. While I was kicked out wearing this. My issue is that standards should be equitably enforced.”
You can see photos of their two outfits below:
Clarification: This is NOT a dresscode issue, I support a businesses right to enforce equitable dresscode standards. However, My husband was allowed in no problem wearing this. While I was kicked out wearing this. My issue is that standards should be equitably enforced @Qantas pic.twitter.com/HSbLVc4W62
— Eva Marie (@natalieevamarie) January 16, 2020
Qantas tightened it business lounge dress code in 2015, reportedly after complaints from frequent flyers that standards were “slipping.”
Unacceptable attire includes thongs and bare feet, beachwear (including board shorts), sleepwear (including uggs and slippers), torn or dirty clothing, and clothing with offensive slogans.
Clean hi-vis clothing and other uniforms are acceptable.
