New Delhi, Oct 29 (Agencies): A woman passenger was allegedly stopped from taking an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Delhi on Monday as the airline staff felt she was not wearing appropriate clothes.

Wearing a frock, the woman had traveled from Doha on a Qatar Airways flight and was to take a connecting flight to Delhi. But after she landed in Mumbai, she was allegedly stopped from boarding the flight by IndiGo staff.

The woman missed her flight but was accommodated on another one after she reportedly changed into trousers.

IndiGo officials claim that she was stopped in keeping with a dress code that applies to its employees when they use "staff leisure travel privileges" offered by the airline.

The woman is a former IndiGo employee and her sister works for the airline.

A fellow passenger who witnessed the argument has been quoted by the Indian Express newspaper as saying: "Nobody raised any objection at the Doha airport. She was not indecently dressed. She was wearing a frock that ended above her knee."

The newspaper also had a formal statement from the private airline, in which it said its staff had followed protocol.

"We regret that an IndiGo passenger (who happens to be an ex IndiGo employee and a family member of a current employee) experienced an untoward behaviour at the Mumbai airport... As per the guidelines outlined, employees and the nominated family members are required to maintain a specific dress code, as and when they fly with the airline under the staff leisure travel privileges. Keeping in mind this policy, the Mumbai ground staff followed the protocol to brief this passenger on the dress code policy," said the airline.