A student was booted off a Southwest Airlines flight during a stopover because he refused to take off a shirt emblazoned with the F-word . Daniel Podolsky was flying from Dallas to Chicago with the budget carrier after attending the South by Southwest ( SxSW ) festival in Austin , Texas - and decided to wear a souvenir . He was dressed in a Comedy Central shirt he was given at the trendy festival , which read BROAD F****** CITY . Scroll down for video . Controversial : Daniel Podolsky was thrown off a flight to Chicago for wearing the above Comedy Central shirt , which he was given at the trendy South by Southwest festival in Austin , Texas . His quarrel with staff came when bad weather in Chicago forced the plane to pause at Lambert airport in St Louis , Missouri , Fox2 News reported . Until this point he had been wearing a jacket , but he took it off . When he went to get back on , the gate attendant challenged him . Podolsky cited his 'freedom of speech ' , but was told he would be breaching Southwest 's rules by wearing an offensive shirt , so could n't get on . He refused to back down , and was left behind as the flight soared off to Illinois . Denied : First a Southwest Airlines member of staff , left , then a member of his flight 's cabin crew , right . told him he could n't get back on while wearing the shirt . Podolsky then got in touch with Fox to tell them his story , and handed over video footage of the exchange . He told the station : 'It just happened so fast . Within thirty seconds the flight was gone . ' When asked whether he considered covering up , or taking the shirt off , he replied : ' I mean I would have gladly done so . ' However , his own cell phone video shows him being asked first to change the shirt , then to turn it inside-out , and lastly to do 'anything ' not to display the shirt . Each time he answers 'nope ' . He was later allowed to board a flight to New York , his ultimate destination , after changing his shirt . A Southwest Airlines spokesman backed up its staff , telling Fox : 'We rely on our Employees and Customers to use common sense and good judgment . '
Podolsky was n't allowed back on plane in St Louis , Missouri . Flight made unexpected stopover on way from Dallas to Chicago . He had been wearing t-shirt marked BROAD F****** CITY all along . But attendants noticed when he took off jacket - and kept him off plane . Crew suggested he turn in inside-out , but video show shim saying 'nope '