Fitness Influencer Alleges Lufthansa Employee Called Her 'Naked,' Required Outfit Change Before Flight

Edda Elisa Pilz, a 24-year-old fitness influencer, recently recounted an incident where she was allegedly denied boarding a Lufthansa flight from Berlin to Austria. Pilz stated that an airline staff member deemed her athletic ensemble inappropriate for travel, repeatedly referring to her as 'naked' and insisting she cover up before being allowed onto the aircraft. This confrontation occurred amidst a summer heatwave, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).

With a substantial following of over 500,000 across Instagram and TikTok, Pilz shared a video detailing the encounter as she prepared for her flight. The video quickly gained traction online, prompting Pilz to question Lufthansa's passenger dress code policies and to critique the employee's conduct during the incident.

Boarding Dispute Over Athletic Attire

Pilz explained that she was waiting for her boarding pass to be scanned when a Lufthansa employee halted her progress. According to her account, the employee immediately told her, 'You cannot board like that,' and proceeded to describe her as 'naked' multiple times.

Pilz, who was dressed in a coordinated athletic top and shorts, expressed confusion regarding why her attire was considered unsuitable, especially given the warm weather conditions. In her video, she posed questions about the expectation, asking, 'What am I supposed to put on? What should I wear? It is clothing.'

She further stated that the employee informed her that her clothing was not 'normal clothes' and instructed her to put on an additional layer over her outfit before she would be permitted to board. After complying and donning a jacket, Pilz claimed she was then told she needed to fully zip up the jacket as well before being allowed to proceed.

Employee's Conduct and Policy Ambiguity

Pilz alleged that the employee subsequently placed blame on her for causing a delay in the boarding process. She recounted the employee stating, 'Because of you, we are now delayed. Because of you, the whole flight is delayed, because you are holding up all the traffic here.'

In response, Pilz said she clarified that her questions were simply an attempt to understand the situation, as she had never encountered an airline dress code previously. She also highlighted that male passengers wearing shorts were permitted to board the same flight without facing any restrictions.

For Pilz, the core issue of the incident was not necessarily the existence of a clothing policy, but rather the manner in which she was treated. 'I can accept rules,' she commented, 'But the attitude was unacceptable.'

Concluding her video, Pilz directly addressed Lufthansa, inquiring whether such customer service aligns with the airline's standards and indicated she was awaiting an official response.

An examination of Lufthansa's General Conditions of Carriage reveals no specific dress code for passengers. While the airline reserves the right to deny transportation under circumstances where a passenger's behavior might significantly impact the 'safety and security, the health or wellbeing of other passengers,' or for other operational or security reasons, the policy does not explicitly address athletic wear or similar clothing.