By Kim Glovas

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Airlines have begun imposing dress codes on passengers, even though no dress code is posted anywhere.

Southwest Airlines refused to allow a woman to board because an employee said she showed too much cleavage. An American Airlines pilot lectured another passenger for wearing a t-shirt with a curse word on it.

However, attorney Arthur Wolk, a local air safety expert, believes airlines may be overstepping their bounds.

“We’re really pushing the envelope when an airline usurps the power to determine what is the good taste. On the other hand, airlines have the capability, the power and the responsibility to make sure that someone does not get on board with a message or information that would generate a risk to the safety of the passengers and the crew.”

Wolk says an individual employee is making a judgment without an established standard. He doesn’t believe that falls into the category of “safe airline travel.”