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German fitness influencer Edda Elisa Pilz has accused Lufthansa staff of denying her boarding on a flight from Berlin to Austria after a gate agent allegedly claimed she looked "naked" in her outfit
The airline has since launched an internal investigation into the matter while defending its right to enforce baseline dress codes that respect the diverse cultural backgrounds of its global passengers.
The incident occurred during a European heatwave with temperatures reaching 30°C, prompting the digital creator, who boasts millions of followers across Instagram and TikTok, to wear a bra-style crop top and athletic shorts for the journey. As she scanned her boarding pass at the gate, an agent stopped her, reportedly telling her she could not board the aircraft because her clothing was inappropriate.
Although Pilz immediately retrieved a jacket from her carry-on to address the situation, the airline representative allegedly refused to let her proceed until it was fully zipped up to cover her top
The influencer expressed her frustration online, saying she accepts official airline regulations provided they are clearly documented and universally enforced, but argued that the current application of the rules is inherently sexist.
To support her claim, she noted that male passengers returning from holiday destinations like Mallorca frequently board commercial flights in heavily relaxed attire without facing similar gate interventions or being blamed for delaying the aircraft.
Lufthansa responded to the growing public backlash by clarifying its general code of conduct regarding passenger attire in public transport spaces
The carrier said it serves a diverse clientele and expects all flyers to dress appropriately in respect of fellow travellers' cultural sensitivities. It also said its employee's choice of words, including the use of 'naked', does not meet the company's standards.
Dress code and passenger conduct policies have increasingly become a point of contention within the aviation industry as airlines tighten enforcement parameters to manage cabin environments.
