Cassidy Gaiter has slammed the Qantas Lounge dress code after being told her shoes were unacceptable.
By ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA
Published: 12:59 BST, 10 September 2026 | Updated: 22:40 BST, 10 September 2026
A Qantas customer has lashed out at the airline after she was denied entry into a passenger lounge for wearing Ugg boots.
Cassidy Gaiter shared a video on Thursday after she was turned away from the Qantas Lounge at Melbourne Airport.
Staff took issue with her footwear – a pair of slipper-like boots.
The frequent flyer said she'd visited 'five separate lounges' – including in London, Auckland and Adelaide – in the last month in the same shoes and never had an issue.
Ms Gaiter added there was no obvious sign banning slippers from the lounge, aside from a brief note that said 'sleepwear' wasn't permitted.
She noted her Ugg boots were shoes commonly worn outside the home and questioned why they were included in the same category as pyjamas, and why she had been allowed into some lounges and not others.
'I understand you have a policy, but you have to enforce it everywhere,' Ms Gaiter said.
'I don't understand this dress code thing... enforce it everywhere and make it really obvious. No one is looking up the dress code online.
Cassidy Gaiter (above) was turned away from the Melbourne Qantas Lounge for wearing Ugg boots
Ms Gaiter was surprised to learn the boots are counted as 'sleepwear' by the Qantas Lounges (pictured in Melbourne) as they're commonly worn outside
'Also, when is this sleepwear? You wear these outside, they've got outside soles on them and it's an airport.
'Who cares what we're wearing?'
Ms Gaiter claimed the worker had 'made a beeline' for her among a queue of guests because she didn't match the others who were dressed in business attire.
'I spend so much money on flights to be at a status to use the lounges,' she said.
'Don't turn me away for something that really does not matter.'
Qantas advises travellers who were planning to use its domestic and international lounges to be dressed in 'smart casual' attire.
The lounges specifically ban rubber thongs and bare feet, head-to-toe gym wear, beachwear including boardshorts, clothing featuring offensive images or slogans, and revealing, unclean or torn clothing.
It also states 'sleepwear, including Ugg boots and slippers, are not permitted'.
Clean hi-vis uniforms and other uniforms are allowed.
The Daily Mail has contacted Qantas for comment.