A YouTuber has been described as a ‘loser’, ‘cheater’ and ‘assh*le’ after faking an injury to get a free upgrade on a flight.
Australian influencer Jamie Zhu shared the questionable stunt on YouTube this week in a video titled ‘How To Fly Business Class For FREE!’
The post showed the 26-year-old at the airport, where he explained he had a ‘very long international flight’ ahead of him, so he was going to attempt to score a free upgrade.
Check out his video here:
Rather than smiling sweetly at the check-in staff and politely asking if there were any seats going spare in the coveted front section of the plane, Jamie concocted a plan he hoped would fool flight attendants into upgrading him.
In the video, he managed to find a shop selling a ‘moon boot’, which he put on to give the appearance of having a broken ankle. He then boarded the plane with the chunky accessory and claimed he couldn’t fit his foot into the seats in economy class.
Jamie asked a flight attendant if he could change seats, after which the video cut to show the YouTuber grinning away in business class, with a member of staff explaining they would soon be coming round with the food and drinks service.
A number of people suspected the video may have been a prank and Jamie had a business class ticket all along, but in an interview with Studio 10 the YouTuber insisted it was all real.
Check out the interview here:
Jamie made the most of his trip by reclining fully in his seat and watching the pull-out television screen, before swanning off the plane with a grin on his face, the moon boot nowhere to be seen.
The 26-year-old was clearly chuffed at having got away with his plan, but many of his followers were less impressed and slammed the influencer for his actions.
Some accused Jamie of taking advantage of staff, while other comments branded the 26-year-old as a ‘dirtbag’, a ‘cheapskate’, ‘disrespectful’, ‘dishonest’ and a ‘scammer’.
One YouTube user pointed out Jamie was committing ‘theft of services’ by taking advantage of the business class benefits, and another warned his actions could ‘hurt the people who really need’ the assistance staff offered him.
In spite of the backlash, the YouTuber stood by his video and argued people should ‘learn to take a joke’.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.