Former Playboy model and sports analyst Sara Blake Cheek says she was humiliated at Atlanta Airport when a flight attendant told her to “button up” before boarding an American Airlines flight. The 34-year-old, who also runs an OnlyFans account and has more than a million social media followers, described the encounter as “humiliating” and said she was unfairly singled out because of her body type.
Cheek, a frequent flyer and Platinum member of American Airlines’ loyalty program, was preparing to board a flight on September 1 when she says a crew member stopped her at the gate.
“You know, I travel in what anybody would travel in,”
Cheek told TMZ.
“I’ve never done anything that’s not like appropriate, right? So we’re at the airport, I go through where you scan your boarding pass, and as soon as I’m about to board the plane, the flight attendant says, ‘You need to button up your shirt.’”
Cheek said she was stunned by the request and described feeling “humiliated” in front of other passengers.
“Of course you feel like you’re being targeted. And it was awful. I’ve never had this happen to me before. I travel at least twice a week for my job and I’ve always worn the same thing,”
she said.
Her outfit that day included a black sports bra or crop top under an open yellow flannel shirt, paired with leggings, high socks, and sneakers. Cheek shared photos on X, insisting that other women wearing similar clothes were not asked to cover up.
“I don’t know why I look different in a sports bra. Absolutely, I have big boobs,”
she said.
“But if I’m wearing the same thing as several other people, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
American Airlines quickly acknowledged the incident after Cheek’s posts spread online. In a public message on X, the airline apologized:
“We have a deep culture of respect … we’re sorry for anything less than consistent and friendly service.”
The company said the case would be reviewed internally with “crew leadership.” In a statement to U.S. media, the airline confirmed its dress code requires passengers to “dress appropriately,” banning bare feet and offensive clothing but making no mention of crop tops or athletic wear.
A tweet from X.
Cheek has not confirmed whether the airline offered further compensation or a personal resolution.
The story has fueled fierce debate online. Supporters accused American Airlines of “body-shaming” and applying double standards. Critics countered that airlines have a right to enforce modesty standards, especially in family settings.
The incident also echoes similar controversies. In 2022, model Olivia Culpo said she was told to cover up her crop top and bike shorts on an American Airlines flight. And in 2024, comedian Chrissie Mayr alleged she was forced to change her outfit in public before boarding.
For Cheek, the sting came from feeling singled out.
“If you’re enforcing a dress code, then it should be enforced across the board and not just towards the white girl with blonde hair and big boobs,”
she told OutKick.
Airline dress codes are typically vague, often buried in the fine print of contracts of carriage. American’s guideline “dress appropriately” leaves wide discretion to individual employees. Critics argue this opens the door to inconsistent and subjective enforcement.
Travel analysts note that vague rules can also expose airlines to accusations of bias, whether based on gender, race, or body type.
“Cheek’s case is a textbook example of why clearer policies are needed,”
said one aviation commentator quoted in CNN earlier this year.
Unanswered questions remain: What guidance will American Airlines give staff after this incident? How often are dress codes actually enforced? And will the airline move to clarify what “appropriate” means?
For now, Sara Blake Cheek’s story highlights a familiar tension in air travel the clash between corporate discretion and passengers’ right to feel respected.
