Granted, they were an extremely good-looking couple, but even extremely good-looking people are going to struggle to board a plane in nothing but their swimming togs. She was in a bikini, he in his board
It's hard to know what to wear on a plane these days, but togs are definitely not the answer. Photo / Getty Images
The reasons are – as I'm sure you're aware – less to do with modesty and more to do with rules. I don't want to alarm you, but you can't get on a plane either sans shirt or in a bikini. It doesn't matter whether it's a dinky jungle airport on a tropical island, or in a gleaming metropolitan transit hub: no airline will let you aboard.
Rightly so too. It's hard for a lot of Western tourists to comprehend this, but a lot of tropical destinations also happen to be found in morally quite conservative countries. It might not feel that way when you're half-dressed, cracking funnies and downing cocktails on the beach, but just because it's 33C and coastal, it doesn't mean that beach attire is going to fly when you're, you know, no longer at the beach.
I can remember being at a restaurant in Krabi in Thailand where a German couple had a proper sit-down meal at an open-air restaurant while only wearing G-strings. The Thai staff were too polite to say anything, but it was shockingly disrespectful.
Back to Tioman and the airport - there might not have been a G-string in sight, but as the passports were handed over, the officials informed the duo that unless they could produce some extra clothing, they wouldn't be leaving the island.
I love observing people and the whole episode had fascinated me. How could these two be so unaware as to think they were ever going to be allowed to board in that state? Were they thick? Were they rude? Were they drunk?
Ultimately, I'd suggest it was none of the above. Overhearing them in the tiny departure lounge, they surprised me when they sounded like interesting, well-travelled folks. Maybe Tioman had just cast a spell on them. Or maybe when you're that hilariously good-looking, you're used to getting away with stuff.
Tim Roxborogh hosts Newstalk ZB's Weekend Collective and blogs at roxboroghreport.com