# Saggy Pants Leads to Passengers' Arrest **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 17, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793 "2011-06-17T03:54:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/1 "2011-06-17T03:54:30Z")
Heh. Heh heh. [Story here.](http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/06/16/sagging.pants.flight.arrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t2) _Sung To The Tune Of **The Boxer** , by Simon & Garfunkel_ He was there in mourning Now his story’s just been told Went and offered up resistance To the cops who went to hitch his slacks up to his waist. He paid his price Bought a ticket and in doing so Bought only arrogance He was asked quite nicely at the gate Just to rearrange his duds All around him were the strangers In the chaos of the entry gate they huddled there Pants were low, showing off his hinder quarters He thought it was quite a show Hung along his shankbones his pants just can’t go He won’t fly, fly fly fly fly, fly fly fly, he won’t fly. Asked politely to adjust them Deshon angered all the mob And the flight stayed well and grounded As his claim of ticket ownership was not enough He’s nearly bare, and the captain busted Deshon out Before they took to air He won’t fly, fly fly fly fly, he won’t fly. Then the escalation happened there Near seat B-seventeen He was gone To the jetway to shake hands with his new destiny Destiny, he ain’t goin’ home In the jetway hung the boxers Their departure never made Disrespecting all the fliers Who’d just wanted to leave the town And shoved him, to the aisle In his anger and his shame " I am leaving, I am leaving But my boxers still remain While my flight’s leaving my boxers still remain. He won’t fly, fly fly fly fly fly fly fly, he won’t fly Up into the sky, despite his pal who dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/2 "2011-06-17T04:04:17Z")
:applaud: That was magnificent! Ok, now I’ll go read the article. :p:p ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/3 "2011-06-17T04:39:45Z")
In fairness, this isn’t an uncommon style of dress these days, and I think the airline and the officers were way out of line. I suspect a court will, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/4 "2011-06-17T05:14:11Z")
What a fruit loop. He doesn’t have to dress reasonably because he purchased a ticket? Yeah also for the work of Cartoonverse. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/5 "2011-06-17T05:21:32Z")
**Cartooniverse** , well done. One of the best. Re-title it to _The Boxers_ and it would be a perfect fit. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/6 "2011-06-17T09:35:02Z")
I found another one, [here](http://abcnews.go.com/US/Travel/story?id=3571435&page=1). ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/7 "2011-06-17T13:46:36Z")
I have to agree with the young lady. She looks like an awful lot of college age students in Southern California that I’ve seen. Family airline ?? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/8 "2011-06-17T14:07:53Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > In fairness, this isn’t an uncommon style of dress these days, and I think the airline and the officers were way out of line. I suspect a court will, too. I hate hate hate that look, but so what? Fashion crimes are not the same as real crimes. Shame on the airline. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/9 "2011-06-17T14:46:25Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > In fairness, this isn’t an uncommon style of dress these days, and I think the airline and the officers were way out of line. I suspect a court will, too. The airline can enforce whatever dress code they want; “people who wear their pants around their knees” are not a protected class. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/10 "2011-06-17T17:53:12Z")
Except that an article I read implied that they don’t actually _have_ a dress code, so making up rules on the spot because you don’t like certain clothing isn’t acceptable, is it? As someone interested in air safety, though, I think passengers should wear clothing that wouldn’t impede their movements in the event of an evacuation. It seems that most people wearing baggy/sagging pants wouldn’t be able to run or climb over airplane seats/debris or out through overwing exits very well, thereby putting their own safety - and worse, that of other passengers behind them - at risk. The same _might_ be said for short or tight skirts, though hiking \*up \*a skirt in order to run is more likely to have it stay up than baggy pants. Heels/flip flops etc. aren’t forbidden on planes either, but are considered unsafe and can lead to injuries on evacuation (more likely to twist an ankle coming off a slide, for example). I had a conversation with an air accident investigator who told me that it was one of his hangups - poor shoe choices, as well as passengers removing shoes for the duration of the flight. Loose shoes become projectiles in turbulence, and passengers end up with cut or burnt feet due to the lack of protection from having removed them. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/11 "2011-06-17T18:25:05Z")
O for bygone days: > **[Taylor & Francis - Harnessing the Power of Knowledge](https://taylorandfrancis.com)** > > Taylor & Francis publishes knowledge and specialty research spanning humanities, social sciences, science and technology, engineering, medicine and healthcare. [http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/GCATG/images/photoalbum/large/1920s\_08\_1927\_will\_rogers.jpg](http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/GCATG/images/photoalbum/large/1920s_08_1927_will_rogers.jpg) [http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/4048/PreviewComp/SuperStock\_4048-986.jpg](http://wwwdelivery.superstock.com/WI/223/4048/PreviewComp/SuperStock_4048-986.jpg) [![](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QPR9sNJIMww/R64Yoc5ESDI/AAAAAAAAAgE/YCI1CrH1eV4/UAL10.jpg) ](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_QPR9sNJIMww/R64Yoc5ESDI/AAAAAAAAAgE/YCI1CrH1eV4/UAL10.jpg) [![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/07/23/article-1201835-05BF0F16000005DC-37_468x336.jpg) ](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/07/23/article-1201835-05BF0F16000005DC-37_468x336.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/12 "2011-06-17T19:27:57Z")
Viewing those while sitting on a small plane at LaGuardia, grounded in a violent rainstorm. How timely !!! ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/13 "2011-06-17T19:40:23Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I hate hate hate that look, but so what? Fashion crimes are not the same as real crimes. Shame on the airline. So if his pants were around his ankles with his dick swinging in the wind, you would have no problems with it? I say good for the airline. I’m tired of having to look at the upper half of both ass cheeks of everyone from age 16 to 24 in this country. Pull up your fucking pants. And get off of my lawn! ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/14 "2011-06-17T19:47:01Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > So if his pants were around his ankles with his dick swinging in the wind, you would have no problems with it? Yes, I’d have a problem with that. I’d also have a problem with him shooting an automatic rifle at random strangers, garroting a flight attendant, trying to steal a first class upgrade, molesting children travelling alone, or a number of other activities that are…wait for it…actually criminal. This was just some idiot wearing a lame but common teenager outfit, which did not, incidentally, have any butt cheeks showing. The airline had no right to ask him to change his dress style beyond perhaps verifying that the pants _could be_ pulled up in the case of an emergency. These are the same sort of uptight morons that twenty years ago wouldn’t let you fly with a tattoo, and twenty years before that wouldn’t let you fly if you were black. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/15 "2011-06-17T19:51:04Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > So if his pants were around his ankles with his dick swinging in the wind, you would have no problems with it? What an obtuse question. That’s not how he was dressed. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/16 "2011-06-17T20:06:47Z")
The article I read implied that he was showing his butt crack. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/17 "2011-06-17T20:36:05Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > These are the same sort of uptight morons that twenty years ago wouldn’t let you fly with a tattoo, and twenty years before that wouldn’t let you fly if you were black. And twenty years from now, they won’t let you fly wearing a dirty diaper, swim fins, and a beard of bees. Will this relentless oppression of passenger fashion never cease? ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/18 "2011-06-17T20:50:37Z")
You know, if Lady Gaga can wear THIS on a plane: [http://celebrities.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=654732&showcomments=true](http://celebrities.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=654732&showcomments=true) …then why can’t the poor guy show his undies? I’d be more distressed seeing a fat chick with the word JUICY emblazoned across her sweatpants-clad butt than if I saw a glimpse of some guy’s tighty whities. On the other hand, I’m kinda sick of hearing about folks getting kicked off planes for something that could be easily recitified. Pick your battles, people. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/19 "2011-06-17T21:22:22Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > And twenty years from now, they won’t let you fly wearing a dirty diaper, swim fins, and a beard of bees. Will this relentless oppression of passenger fashion never cease? I claim that’s still another strawman, like the example of the person exposing their genitals. However, if twenty years from now something like 40% of the population wears that as a standard day-to-day outfit, yes, I’ll call it oppression then, too. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793/20 "2011-06-18T12:45:50Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > However, if twenty years from now something like 40% of the population wears that as a standard day-to-day outfit, yes, I’ll call it oppression then, too. I think you’re overstating your statistics more than a little–40% of the population as a whole would be something ridiculous like every single male under the age of 65. But still, they are very commonplace, and it’s that very commonplaceness that makes me think he had to be showing abnormal amounts of ass for _multiple_ airline employees to say something to him. I mean, it’s not like these people had never seen baggy britches on a passenger before, and there’s no evidence so far that any of them have ever made an issue of it in the past. The options are a) three separate people all three suddenly decided to make a fuss about something common and innocuous on the exact same day or b) someone who has behaved inappropriately in other ways was also inappropriate in his dress. Which seems likelier to you? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saggy-pants-leads-to-passengers-arrest/585793.md?page=2)