Humiliated in the lounge: a staffer orders a traveler to 'cover up' to 'protect other cultures' — and a deeper shock about dress codes in air travel
In a Brisbane Qantas lounge, a routine moment turned public shaming. An airline staff member rushed over, grabbed Nikki Osborne by the arm, and demanded she button up her cardigan so she would “cover yourself to protect the other cultures in the lounge.” The confrontation left the 44-year-old Australian radio host feeling humiliated and degraded, shaken by the sudden judgment in front of her male colleague. Osborne describes a flood of reactions: shock, embarrassment, anger, and frustration. “It was hard to process that I’d been made to feel like a tart in my hometown,” she later wrote, capturing the sting of being policed over her appearance in a public space. The moment spotlights a broader, uncomfortable question about dress codes, dignity, and who gets to define what is appropriate in shared spaces like airline lounges.
In This Article:
The outfit that sparked a confrontation: what Nikki wore and what happened
Nikki Osborne, a born-and-bred Queenslander who works as a radio host, writer and stand-up comedian and is also a mother, was dressed for a work trip in tailored white shorts, a pink lace bodysuit, and a knitted white cardigan when the encounter took place. She recalls a staff member hurrying over, grabbing her arm, and telling her to cover up. The moment left her feeling exposed and publicly scrutinised in front of others. For Osborne, the confrontation touched on more than fashion. “Do I have cleavage? Yes. Had I covered the top of it? Yes. Was that enough? Apparently not,” she wrote, underscoring how her appearance was read and judged in real time.
Aftermath and policy: how the airline responded and what the rules say
Later, the airline reportedly reached out with assurances that the incident wouldn’t happen again. Yet Osborne describes a follow-up phone call that left her feeling more scrutinised, with staff going through her outfit item-by-item. Qantas’ own guidelines state that lounge entry can be declined if “some items of clothing are too casual or inappropriate.” The site lists examples such as thongs, bare feet, head-to-toe gym wear, beachwear, sleepwear, clothing with offensive images or slogans, and clothing that is revealing, unclean, or torn. In a contrast to the negative moment, a flight attendant greeted Osborne warmly in a way she says restored her faith in air travel. Calling on her comic persona ‘Bush Barbie,’ the attendant treated her with respect: “That air steward salvaged my week.” Despite the incident, Osborne says she will continue flying with Qantas but will think twice about what she wears in the lounge, choosing clothing she deems appropriate and steering clear of the “high moral ground of the Lounge.”
A second incident, broader trend: Maggi Thorne’s ‘shaming’ on Southwest Airlines
This story isn’t unique to one airline. Maggi Thorne, 42, recalls being shamed on a Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Nashville for her outfit. The seven-time American Ninja Warrior contestant says a flight attendant approached her soon after boarding and told her to cover up. Thorne wore a black cropped top and high-waisted jogging bottoms; most of her body was covered, except for her arms. She says she told staff she was “not ok” with being told to cover up and argued there was nothing wrong with her outfit. She described the experience as humiliating and public. Southwest Airlines later apologized to Thorne and said a complaint had been filed on her behalf. The incident underscores how airline policies about “lewd, obscene, or patently offensive” attire can be interpreted in ways that affect passengers’ dignity.
