Millions watched a woman get stopped at a Delta gate for wearing gym clothes, but the video was AI and the passenger doesn’t exist

Airline dress codes have turned into a recurring argument online, with some travelers posting about being stopped at the gate over their outfits. One of the latest clips to set off that debate shows a fitness influencer being turned away from a Delta flight, except the woman in the video is not a real person, according to BroBible.

The video comes from the TikTok account @brookemercerfit, which presents an AI-generated character named Brooke as a 23-year-old gym enthusiast and former Division I athlete. The clip has drawn over two million views and a flood of comments. Most commenters appeared to take the scene at face value, treating Brooke as a real passenger and the confrontation as something that actually happened.

In the video, Brooke stands at a gate speaking with a gate agent while security looks on. She is wearing black spandex shorts and a sage-colored cropped tank top. An onscreen caption claims there is apparently a dress code to sit on an airplane now. Delta has not commented on the clip, and the person running the account has not publicly explained it.

The Delta video has viewers arguing about dress codes without realizing Brooke was made by AI

The post’s caption leans into the joke, with Brooke saying she packed her passport and arrived on time but forgot the most important travel document, acceptable pants. She adds that airlines have apparently entered their fashion police era. The simulated scene plays on real frustration, as some actual travelers say they have been dress-coded at the gate.

Delta’s Contract of Carriage does give the airline room to act. It allows Delta to refuse transport when a passenger’s conduct, attire, hygiene, or odor creates an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance to other passengers. Passengers are also not allowed to board barefoot. However, the policy’s broad wording leaves most enforcement decisions to gate agents and flight crews on a case-by-case basis.

The comments quickly split into two camps. A self-described former flight attendant wrote that they never wear clothes that let their skin touch the seat, as they know how dirty planes can get. Another laid out a simple rule: gym clothing at the gym, bed clothes in bed, casual clothes out, and business attire at work. One viewer added that manners and respect are lightweight and easily carried.

Some viewers reminisced about a different era of flying. One commenter who said they were 64 remembered dressing up for flights the way people dressed for church, and another joked, “Who knew there was a gym on the plane.” Several said they simply would not want to sit where someone’s sweaty bare legs had been.

Brooke had defenders too. Some argued that critics were jealous of her muscular build, and another said they wear sweats on early morning flights and believed Brooke should have been allowed to board. However, only a handful of commenters pointed out that the account appears to be AI. Airport outfits have sparked similar fights before, including one TikToker’s outrageous airport outfit that drew comparisons to a TSA nightmare.

Real travelers have described similar run-ins with the airline. Kay Rose, who posts as @kayymrose, said she was dress-coded on a Delta flight from Florida to New York while wearing an Alo crop top and sweatpants. Rose told the outlet that Delta first offered her a $75 credit or 7,500 miles, then raised it to $150 or 15,000 miles.

As AI characters like Brooke keep popping up on travel and fitness feeds, viewers may need to look more closely before choosing a side in the next viral gate confrontation.