News Green Day singer booted off flight because of saggy pants - Page 4

Deberg_1990 · 09-03-2011, 07:33 AM

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-...622?source=rss

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was booted off a Southwest Airlines flight Thursday night in Oakland for wearing his pants too low.

The Oakland punk rocker was traveling from Oakland to Burbank on a 6:40 p.m. flight when he was ordered off the plane after a heated argument with a flight attendant, a witness said.

"Just got kicked off a southwest flight because my pants sagged too low! What the (expletive)? No joke!" Armstrong tweeted that night.

Cindy Qiu, an Oakland resident flying south for the three-day weekend, had just settled into her aisle seat about 10 rows from the back when the exchange happened.

"It was a quick argument. A very tense 30 seconds," said Qiu, an associate producer for news website 7Live.

A male flight attendant in his 50s tracked down Armstrong and a male companion as they attempted to stow their bags in the overhead bins, she said.

"The flight attendant walked up to him and said, 'Pull your pants up,'" she said. "And (Armstrong) said, 'Don't you have more important things to do?'"

The male flight attendant again asked him to pull his pants up and warned him he would be kicked off the flight if he did not.

"I'm just trying to get in my (expletive) seat," the rocker responded Qiu said.

And just like that, the musician, a Rodeo native, and his friend were escorted off the plane with the flight attendant. Once the steward returned, the flight left, about 20 minutes late, Qiu said.

Southwest Airlines responded to the incident in an email late Friday.

"As soon as we became aware of what had happened, we reached out to apologize for this customer's experience," said Brad Hawkins, a Southwest spokesman. "He elected to take the next flight. We followed up with this customer and involved employees to get more details and, in our latest conversations, understand from the customer the situation was resolved to his satisfaction."

Calls to Armstrong's management were not immediately returned. Alameda County Sheriff's spokesman J.D. Nelson said his agency, which staffs Oakland airport, never responded to the Thursday night incident.

The argument was tense enough that Qiu, who did not immediately recognize Armstrong, said she avoided eye contact and never fully saw the rocker's alleged saggy pants a few feet away.

During the short flight, rumors circulated that the Green Day frontman was the ejected sagger and Qiu said she only realized who he was when she checked his Twitter page when she reached her destination.

It was not the first Bay Area airport saggy-pants imbroglio.

On June 12, a University of New Mexico football player was kicked off a U.S. Airways flight bound for Albuquerque from San Francisco over his saggy pants. Deshon Marman is now suing the airline over the incident.

Some critics said Marman, who is black, was targeted because of his race, particularly after photos emerged of a white man dressed in woman's lingerie who was allowed to board a U.S. Airways flight days before.

BWillie · 09-03-2011, 11:23 AM

Pretty sure it wasn't just because his pants were low, he was mouthing off because OMG I'm a celebrity! You can't tell me what to do! F*** him.

Mr. Laz · 09-03-2011, 11:42 AM

airline Nazis

Setsuna · 09-03-2011, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtCobain

It's part of his job to dress the way he does. He has to hold a public image 24/7, regardless of how stupid that image is.

Not really. No one cares about that. It's the eye liner and mascara and hairstyle that's his image. Just wear stuff that fits.

Setsuna · 09-03-2011, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rausch

In prison you "droop" to show that you're "open."

Means you're advertising for teh buttseggs...

LOL! That's clever non-verbal communication.

Backwards Masking · 09-03-2011, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtCobain

It's part of his job to dress the way he does. He has to hold a public image 24/7, regardless of how stupid that image is.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say it's his job, but he has the right to portray whatever image he wants. If he wants to dress like he did when he was 15, more power to him. He shouldn't get kicked off a flight for it. I thought part of our freedoms as Americans included the right to wear what we want?

lcarus · 09-03-2011, 11:56 AM

It's sad that I'm only 28 and I find myself agreeing with the old guys...ahem...more seasoned gentlemen... Bugeater and Milkman. Pull up your pants!

**Bugeater** · 09-03-2011, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backwards Masking

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say it's his job, but he has the right to portray whatever image he wants. If he wants to dress like he did when he was 15, more power to him. He shouldn't get kicked off a flight for it. I thought part of our freedoms as Americans included the right to wear what we want?

Our freedoms as Americans also includes running our businesses as we see fit. It's not like he got thrown in jail for the way he was dressed.

lcarus · 09-03-2011, 12:04 PM

The real question is, would the airline have even cared enough to issue an apology if this guy wasn't famous?

milkman · 09-03-2011, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laz

airline Nazis

I'm just going to assume this is sarcasm.

**Bugeater** · 09-03-2011, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcarus

It's sad that I'm only 28 and I find myself agreeing with the old guys...ahem...more seasoned gentlemen... Bugeater and Milkman. Pull up your pants!

I'm nowhere near as old as Milkman is. Hell, dirt isn't as old as Milkman is.

Backwards Masking · 09-03-2011, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Our freedoms as Americans also includes running our businesses as we see fit. It's not like he got thrown in jail for the way he was dressed.

thats true, i forget airlines are Private Buisnesses, if they want to emplement dress codes stricter than the 1960's that is certainly their right. Just can't imagine it's good for the company's image, at least in the minds of some.

Backwards Masking · 09-03-2011, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcarus

It's sad that I'm only 28 and I find myself agreeing with the old guys...ahem...more seasoned gentlemen... Bugeater and Milkman. Pull up your pants!

im the same age as you, I never understood the baggy pants thing either. then again, we were a generation raised by ICP, Fred Durst, Marilyn Manson and Eminem.

milkman · 09-03-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I'm nowhere near as old as Milkman is. Hell, dirt isn't as old as Milkman is.

I'm not nearly as old as most think I am, but I was just born "old".

**Bugeater** · 09-03-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backwards Masking

thats true, i forget airlines are Private Buisnesses, if they want to emplement dress codes stricter than the 1960's that is certainly their right. Just can't imagine it's good for the company's image, at least in the minds of some.

Big deal, those "some" people are primarily punk-ass bitches who likely don't have well-paying jobs and rarely use air travel anyway. I don't see the problem.

KurtCobain · 09-03-2011, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backwards Masking

im the same age as you, I never understood the baggy pants thing either. then again, we were a generation raised by ICP, Fred Durst, Marilyn Manson and Eminem.

You didn't wear your red hat backwards, did you?

09-03-2011, 07:33 AM
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $314454	Green Day singer booted off flight because of saggy pants http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-...622?source=rss Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was booted off a Southwest Airlines flight Thursday night in Oakland for wearing his pants too low. The Oakland punk rocker was traveling from Oakland to Burbank on a 6:40 p.m. flight when he was ordered off the plane after a heated argument with a flight attendant, a witness said. "Just got kicked off a southwest flight because my pants sagged too low! What the (expletive)? No joke!" Armstrong tweeted that night. Cindy Qiu, an Oakland resident flying south for the three-day weekend, had just settled into her aisle seat about 10 rows from the back when the exchange happened. "It was a quick argument. A very tense 30 seconds," said Qiu, an associate producer for news website 7Live. A male flight attendant in his 50s tracked down Armstrong and a male companion as they attempted to stow their bags in the overhead bins, she said. "The flight attendant walked up to him and said, 'Pull your pants up,'" she said. "And (Armstrong) said, 'Don't you have more important things to do?'" The male flight attendant again asked him to pull his pants up and warned him he would be kicked off the flight if he did not. "I'm just trying to get in my (expletive) seat," the rocker responded Qiu said. And just like that, the musician, a Rodeo native, and his friend were escorted off the plane with the flight attendant. Once the steward returned, the flight left, about 20 minutes late, Qiu said. Southwest Airlines responded to the incident in an email late Friday. "As soon as we became aware of what had happened, we reached out to apologize for this customer's experience," said Brad Hawkins, a Southwest spokesman. "He elected to take the next flight. We followed up with this customer and involved employees to get more details and, in our latest conversations, understand from the customer the situation was resolved to his satisfaction." Calls to Armstrong's management were not immediately returned. Alameda County Sheriff's spokesman J.D. Nelson said his agency, which staffs Oakland airport, never responded to the Thursday night incident. The argument was tense enough that Qiu, who did not immediately recognize Armstrong, said she avoided eye contact and never fully saw the rocker's alleged saggy pants a few feet away. During the short flight, rumors circulated that the Green Day frontman was the ejected sagger and Qiu said she only realized who he was when she checked his Twitter page when she reached her destination. It was not the first Bay Area airport saggy-pants imbroglio. On June 12, a University of New Mexico football player was kicked off a U.S. Airways flight bound for Albuquerque from San Francisco over his saggy pants. Deshon Marman is now suing the airline over the incident. Some critics said Marman, who is black, was targeted because of his race, particularly after photos emerged of a white man dressed in woman's lingerie who was allowed to board a U.S. Airways flight days before.
Posts: 68,428

09-03-2011, 11:23 AM	#46
BWillie Are you ready to Rumble? Join Date: Apr 2006 Casino cash: $-1258759	Pretty sure it wasn't just because his pants were low, he was mouthing off because OMG I'm a celebrity! You can't tell me what to do! F*** him.
Posts: 52,480

09-03-2011, 11:42 AM	#47
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	airline Nazis __________________
Posts: 95,626

09-03-2011, 11:56 AM	#51
lcarus Everybody Lies. Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: 22 Acacia Avenue Casino cash: $-1739887	It's sad that I'm only 28 and I find myself agreeing with the old guys...ahem...more seasoned gentlemen... Bugeater and Milkman. Pull up your pants!
Posts: 17,822

09-03-2011, 12:04 PM	#53
lcarus Everybody Lies. Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: 22 Acacia Avenue Casino cash: $-1739887	The real question is, would the airline have even cared enough to issue an apology if this guy wasn't famous?
Posts: 17,822