Influencer under fire after faking an injury to get a business class upgrade on flight

  • 15 Feb - 21 Feb, 2020
  • Mag The Weekly
  • Mag Files


An Australian influencer is receiving backlash after faking a foot injury in order to get a better seat on a flight. The controversy began when Jamie Zhu – who has over 1.1 million followers on Instagram – posted a video titled “How To Fly Business Class For FREE!” on his YouTube page on Jan 15. In the three-minute video, Zhu puts on a fracture boot and pretends to have a broken ankle for his Cathay Pacific flight. When he fails to fit the foot brace inside his economy seat, he is successfully upgraded to a business class after asking a cabin crew member for another seat. The video then shows Zhu enjoying the luxe amenities from his business class seat. The video, which has received over 124,000 views, has been criticised by viewers – with many YouTube users calling out Zhu for being a “fraud” and taking advantage of the situation. Amid the backlash, Zhu told PEOPLE in a statement: “I think people are looking way too much into it and need to understand it was a little prank. How often have we all tried to get something for a discounted rate, or tried to find loop holes to save costs?” “I filmed and posted a lighthearted video where I tested out a trick and it happened to work. All I have to say is if anything, the video showcases the amazing customer care that Cathay Pacific offer,” he continued.

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