Terrible Treatment
She had never experienced such treatment in all her years of flying. A life-changing surprise awaited her just as she was about to get home to her children.
She was removed from the plane after she was denied a flight home by flight attendants. And all because of what she chose to wear.
A Much Needed Holiday
Harriet Osborne, 31 years old, was riding down to the South of Spain with her friends to get some sun, fresh air, rest, and relaxation after a bitterly cold winter in England.
Her children were waiting for her at home and she was carrying gifts for family and friends. The situation could have never been prepared for by her.
Having Fun
Harriet was enjoying her independence for the first time since she had left home. The Spanish sun made her tan as she walked on the beautiful beaches. Taking a break from motherhood and home life and letting her hair down was a welcomed relief.
The fun trip turned into tears, which she hadn't anticipated.
Sunny Beaches
The beaches at Malaga, in Southern Spain, were teeming with British tourists, as is the case with many coastal resort areas.
Despite being surrounded by pristine beaches and a perfect day, Harriet felt that something was missing when she and her friends were on holiday.
One Last Shopping Spree
After a long vacation, she knew the time had come to return home to Britain. She was excited to see her children after packing her bags. Nevertheless, one final shopping trip remained.
To visit the upscale clothing stores on Av. de Andaluca, she and her friends flagged down a cab. Harriet wasn't aware that the worst day of her life was about to begin as she pleasantly browsed while being mesmerized by the Spanish fashion.
Where It All Began
When Harriet arrived at El Corte Inglés, she spotted a pretty top hanging in the shop window. Although it was a black translucent blouse, Harriet's eyes widened in shock as she how much it cost.
When one of her friends persuaded her to try it on, she quickly became discouraged and turned on her heel to head for the door. This was her first error.
She Loved It
She was, after all, on vacation. What possible damage could there be in trying the blouse? After grabbing it, Harriet moved toward the dressing area. She was stunned by what she saw when she turned to face the mirror. She charged it to her credit card after noticing the excellent fit and her fresh tan.
She had no idea that some people would find this blouse to be way too extreme.
It Was A Mistake
Harriet and her pals stopped for one last lunch in Spain before it was time to say goodbye and head to the airport, with luggage in hand and attempting to block out the cost of her recent impulse purchase.
She gave the hotel room one more look before leaving and discovered the luxury bag sitting on a chair in the corner, accusingly gazing at her. She had a rush of sickness and regret after making the purchase.
Not Going Anywhere
It's clear that Harriet had no idea that what she was going to do would cause one of the worst nights of her life. With the cute top she bought, she had crossed an invisible line, and now she would pay for it.
Due to the split-second decision she made next, she would not be able to fly anywhere tonight. It wasn't yet apparent to her.
Her Beliefs
Harriet, who was a feminist at heart, was adamant that a woman should be free to wear anything she liked. She wasn't dressed in a way that encouraged unwanted attention or catcalls.
Sure, she didn't experiment when she was by herself at a party or club. However, she hadn't anticipated feeling uneasy at the airport in Malaga.
Feeling Spontaneous
Well, she had bought it, and there was no time to return it now. Feeling spontaneous, she pulled the blouse from the bag and tried it on again. It did show off her new tan beautifully. And after all, she was on holiday.
She wouldn’t have to be self-conscious here – she was in a foreign country and she’d never have to see any of these people again. Or so she thought.
Ready To Board
Feeling confident with her top taped in all the right places, she was determined to make the best of her purchase. She arrived at the airport on time and placed her luggage on the conveyor belt.
She browsed the duty-free store and bought a few more gifts for her loved ones back home before she heard her flight being announced on the loudspeaker. But it what happened when she tried to board the plane was enough to make her totally lose it.
The Trouble Begins
When Harriet got to the airport lounge and saw the families waiting in line with their kids, she felt a stab of sadness. But at least she was on her way back – she’d see her children soon. The flight attendant checked her passport and waved her down the tunnel, wishing her a good flight.
But when she reached the airplane door, all hell broke loose.
Pulled Aside
An air hostess stood at the door, greeting the passengers with a warm smile as they stepped onto the plane. But when she saw Harriet, her face dropped.
Harriet was stunned. What had she done to offend the woman so badly? She was cleared to board this flight, but perhaps they had mistaken her for someone else? Shrugging her insecurities aside, she stepped forward but was stopped abruptly by the stewardess.
What Could Be Wrong?
The stewardess then moved to the other flight attendants and they began to speak in hushed tones. Harriet was confused – what was going on? Fear began to grow in her chest as another minute passed.
Then, the stewardess who had stopped her sauntered over and told her what the problem was. Harriet was incredulous. Was this some sort of joke?
Denied
“You’re not coming on my plane like that — you need to put a top on,” she spat. Then, she tried to cover Harriet up with her hands.
Harriet had known that the top she was wearing was a little revealing, but she’d taped it to ensure that she wasn’t showing too much skin. It couldn’t be that bad, could it?
Complaints
The stewardess smugly told her that she’d received complaints from the other passengers that Harriet was dressed inappropriately. But Harriet hadn’t even boarded the plane yet!
Harriet, annoyed that this woman had the cheek to tell her what she could and couldn’t wear, began to argue with the stewardess in the walkway. But realizing that the woman wouldn’t budge, she complied with her request and pulled a sweater from her bag.
Shame
Harriet felt ashamed that the stewardess would single her out like that in front of so many people. She quietly made her way to her seat, but she could feel eyes burning into her back.
At least she was on the plane, she consoled herself. She’d be home soon, where she could put the whole experience behind her. But that wasn’t to be.
Seething
While Harriet was sitting there, she felt herself begin to seethe. She had flown so many times, but had never been treated this way before. Indignant, but willing herself to remain calm and keep quiet was proving to be too much.
When the stewardess passed her in the aisle, she could hold back no longer.
Voicing Her Anger
She began to raise her voice. She told the stewardess that she had been made to feel cheap in front of strangers and was mortified.
She had paid for her ticket just like everybody else, why had she been singled out for what she was wearing? And why had none of the airport staff said anything?
Booted
The airport staff began to huddle and whisper again and Harriet felt fear well up inside her once more. What could be the problem now? She had covered up like they had asked.
Then, the stewardess approached her and told her that she had to leave the airplane. Of course, Harriet was furious. She didn’t have a place to sleep that night, and she’d paid for her ticket.
More Problems
After the conversation began to heat up, she was forcibly removed from the plane by security. She would have to spend the night at the airport and had lost her $200 ticket. “I just burst out crying,” she said in an interview later.
Then, she noticed a group of police officers approaching her. They told her that the cabin crew on the flight she had been booted from said that she had been disruptive. Could this day get any worse?
Stuck
Luckily, the police saw Harriet’s side of the story. They agreed that they didn’t see why she had been thrown off the plane in the first place. But now, Harriet had to buy a new ticket. And even worse, the next flight out was only on the following day.
Short another $200 and with no money left for a hotel room, Harriet slept at the airport that night. The next day, she was sure to dress conservatively and finally boarded her flight. But she was still angry.
Opposing Views
When Harriet arrived home, she was sure to tell everybody about her ordeal.
Soon, news stations picked up the story and were swarming her home for interviews. It wasn’t long before the story went viral on social media, causing quite a stir among women and men alike. Had Harriet gone too far?
Controversy
One commenter wrote: “She can wear whatever she wants… she is getting on a plane with peoples screaming brats. The stewards are not the fashion police they are there to serve you.”
But others disagreed. Another Facebook user wrote: “Why would any sensible person get on a plane wearing something like that? I mean, personally I wouldn’t care she was nude! But she’s not wearing “flying” clothes!”
A Divisive Issue
Pictures of Harriet in her outfit have divided netizens, though. Most agree that what she was wearing was too revealing and that she should have covered up. Others disagree, saying that it is her choice what she wears, and that nobody had the right to shame her for it.
But what does the staff of EasyJet have to say?
A Simple Request?
‘We can confirm that a passenger traveling from Malaga to Stansted on 23 June was unable to travel due to behaving disruptively,’ a spokesperson for EasyJet told Fox News.
‘Following concerns about her clothing crew politely requested that the customer wear an additional top for the flight which the customer agreed to.’ So, why hadn’t Harriet been allowed on the flight if she had complied with their request?
Disruptive
‘However, she then proceeded to act disruptively towards a member of our crew,’ the spokesperson continued.
‘Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately. We do not tolerate abusive or threatening behavior towards our staff.’
Mysterious Man
Across the country, another woman would be put in a similar situation. She wanted to take a simple flight, but a stranger did something she wouldn’t forget. The man took a step closer and gestured at her seat. Then, without skipping a beat he informed her that that seat was taken.
Jessica looked around her, eyes wide, incredulous. How dare he? she thought. "I'm in your seat," he insisted. She had no idea what he was talking about. "What does your ticket say?" he asked, exasperated.
Argument
"What? No - I'm 31 B," Jessica said. She wasn't about to be fooled--her ticket clearly stated 31-B. She stood up and checked, and she knew she was right.
She wasn't backing down. Who did this man think he was? And what game was he playing? She looked to the flight attendants for assistance, but they just nodded their heads.
Confusion
But then the stranger explained; as she was a military trainee, she couldn't have the seat. He told her that he admired that she was working hard every day to keep the people of America safe, but he needed her to sit somewhere else.
Jessica patiently listened to his reasoning, but then she was completely blindsided.
Bewildered
The strange man said he would be obliged if she accepted his business class ticket as a thank-you gesture for the hard work she does every day.
Jessica was shocked and tried to refuse the kind man's gesture, but he kept insisting. He gave her his seat, and she went up the way she came through the plane's little hallway.
Hard Work
She could not believe what had just happened, but as she saw the more spacious and comfortable seats, her body craved them. How could she ever repay him?
As a military trainee, she had been working for days on end. Her body was sore, and her muscles ached. She could really use some rest and more comfortable seats.
Turmoil
Jessica thought that all of her hard work would pay off once she arrived home and could finally rest, but then, the mystery man had given her the best gift she could ask for.
Jessica could not stop thinking about the man who gave up his seat. He stayed on her mind for the entire flight.
An Idea
The kind man was broader and larger than she was, and if she was going to be uncomfortable in the little economy seats, she could not imagine how he would feel cramped up in there.
She felt terrible. To think that the man had compromised his own comfort to make sure she had a nice flight! So she thought of something that might brighten his day.
Flight Attendant
She had no idea what she could do to make his flight more comfortable, she decided she would ask a flight attendant.
Sadly, as the flight attendant told her, there was not much she could do; she could not send things from first class to economy. She had to think of something else, and she did.
Cramped
That wonderful mystery man was probably very uncomfortable in his seat, but Jessica could not do anything about that as she knew that if she gave back his first class seat, he would completely refuse.
She grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled something on it with a $20 bill attached and asked the stewardess to deliver it from her.
Kind Gesture
The man opened up the note, and his eyes widened; the note read: “If everyone treated people the way you treated the servicewomen, the world would be a better place.”
She also asked the man to order some drinks and snacks on her. But of course, the man refused. However, he had another offer for her.
Another Proposition
The mystery man did, however, send another note back to Jessica. And when she read it, she couldn't help but smile.
He had declined her offer, but proposed that they meet when their flight lands and have dinner--on him. Was this a date? Jessica's stomach fluttered as she wrote another note back to the mysterious man.
Sparks Fly
Of course, she accepted. The man's heartwarming gesture had endeared him to her completely. The pair met at a restaurant shortly after their plane landed, and Jessica forgot her weariness in all her excitement.
She never expected anything to happen to her that was seemed right out of a fairytale, and on a plane, of all places!
Cherished
Jessica had never thought that on her assumed-to-be bad day; she would get so much to cherish. But she did, and all thanks to this kind man!
The man was overwhelmed about receiving the note and thanked her but still refused the money. Another person on the flight witnessed everything and had to share the story which soon went viral.
Shared Story
Another woman named Jessica Titus witnessed the whole thing, she had to share this incredible story about compassion, empathy, and respect for the work our servicewomen do every day.
And she did. As soon as she posted the story, within the hour, more than 4000 people had shared it! Even more had commented on it and liked it.
Great Souls
Tons of people came together and shared their similar stories under Titus’ post. One woman named Kate Nixon said that someone did the same thing for her husband who was in the army as well.
While they were on a plane heading back home from California, they were overwhelmed with such a gesture. What amazing people!
Bad Day Turned Good
People really do have heart, but we do not see it all that often. By sharing the story on social media, the anonymous man got appreciated and praised for a deed he did not want to be acknowledged for; he just did it from the goodness of his heart. We all need more people like that out there!
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.