Influencer questions whether Virgin Australia enforced dress rules fairly
Fitness influencer Caitlin Lyndon says a Virgin Australia staff member told her to zip up her jacket before boarding a Brisbane to Melbourne flight, leaving her feeling body-shamed and embarrassed. She believes she was singled out because of her large bust, as a friend in the same outfit was not asked to cover up; the incident has raised questions about how the airline applies its clothing rules.
Lyndon said she was wearing a sports bra under an open jacket and asked whether the instruction was because she had “big boobs”, but received what she described as a vague response. Virgin Australia said it had contacted her and apologised, while Lyndon said she had only received an insincere social media message and that her legal team had sought a formal apology. The airline’s published dress code requires a shirt or singlet and coverage of the lower body, but does not specifically mention gym wear or sports bras.
- Caitlin Lyndon says she was singled out before boarding a Virgin Australia flight.
- Her friend wore the same outfit and was not asked to zip up.
- The airline says it apologised; Lyndon disputes the nature of its response.
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Fitness influencer Caitlin Lyndon says a Virgin Australia staff member instructed her to zip up her jacket before boarding a Brisbane to Melbourne flight. The incident has raised questions about whether the airline applies its dress code consistently and fairly to all passengers.
Lyndon was wearing a sports bra under an open jacket at the time. She believes the instruction targeted her specifically because of her body shape, noting that a friend wearing similar clothing was not asked to cover up. Lyndon has questioned whether the airline's decision was based on appearance rather than its stated dress code requirements.
Virgin Australia's published dress code requires passengers to wear a shirt or singlet with coverage of the lower body, but does not specifically mention gym wear or sports bras. The incident has raised questions about how airline staff interpret and apply the dress code, and whether the rules are enforced consistently.
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The case for
Lyndon raises a legitimate concern about inconsistent enforcement of dress standards. If her friend wore an identical outfit without being challenged, this suggests rules were applied selectively based on appearance rather than consistently according to stated policy. When she directly asked whether appearance was the reason, she received no clear answer. The airline's response—a brief social media apology rather than formal engagement with her legal team—appeared dismissive of a potentially discriminatory situation.
The case against
Virgin Australia's published dress code requires a shirt or singlet for upper body coverage; a sports bra, whilst providing coverage, is undergarment rather than outerwear. The staff member was attempting to enforce this stated policy in a customer-facing environment. Inconsistency in enforcement can arise for many reasons beyond discrimination, including positioning, visibility, or differing staff judgement; the friend may not have been equally visible or scrutinised for legitimate reasons. The airline's apology acknowledged upset caused, which is appropriate given the inherent challenges in applying dress codes fairly.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Aussie influencer recalls horror of being ‘body shamed’ after Virgin Australia staff told her to zip up her jacket before boarding: ‘Is it because I’ve got big boobs?’”.