United to its passengers: Leggings “are welcome”

United Airlines, caught up in fierce internet controversy after two young girls in leggings were barred from boarding a flight Sunday in Denver because they didn’t follow the company’s dress-code policy, has a message for its passengers.

“To our regular customers,” the air carrier said in a Monday statement, “your leggings are welcome.”

United is working to recover and explain after the incident, set off on Twitter early Sunday after Shannon Watts, founder of the gun control advocacy group Moms Demand Action, posted about the girls on Twitter.

The airline said the girls were pass travelers, relatives or friends of United employees or other air carriers who receive the benefit of free or heavily discounted air travel.

“When taking advantage of this benefit, all employees and pass riders are considered representatives of United,” the Chicago-based company said in a statement. “And like most companies, we have a dress code that we ask employees and pass riders to follow. The passengers (Sunday) were United pass riders and not in compliance with our dress code for company benefit travel.”

United added: “We regularly remind our employees that when they place a family member or friend on a flight for free as a standby passenger, they need to follow our dress code.”

While the context that the girls were pass travelers was not initially known, many are still outraged by the rules and that two young girls, boarding a flight to Minnesota, would be barred from a flight because of their clothing.

“I don’t care what kind of passengers they were … this behavior is sexist and sexualizes young girls,” said Watts, who lives in Colorado.

She said the girls’ leggings were not inappropriate and that she witnessed the ordeal.

“As the mother of four daughters who live and travel in yoga pants, I’d like to know how many boys United has penalized for the same reason,” she said on Twitter.

The situation drew reaction from thousands — including celebrities — and was trending on Twitter.

“I applaud @united for making those girls change their leggings,” comedian Jim Norton said on Twitter. “Nothing on a plane offends me more than a comfortable woman.”

Others posted on social media that they would be flying United in leggings in protest.