Flying Coach Gets A Bad Rap On TikTok, But These Influencers Want To Change That

Cramped seats, loud passengers, and limited amenities. That’s the price airline passengers have to pay to get the cheapest seats on a jet, right?

Some TikTok influencers insist there’s no substitute for upgrading to business class, but a new wave of creators are pushing back against that narrative and paying respect to air travel’s unsung hero.

It’s not really that bad

That’s the main takeaway from a flood of recent posts from travelers who saved a bunch of cash by opting for coach or economy class tickets instead of springing for an upgrade.

A lifestyle-focused TikToker with the handle Hybee offered this advice: “Normalize flying in economy.”

Of course, as many of you already know, there’s nothing abnormal about buying economy class tickets. In fact, there are far more coach seats on a plane than there are in business class. But many influencers who thrive on presenting a particular image to their audiences wouldn’t dare be caught amongst the common folks.

Hybee bucked that trend during a recent 15-hour flight and provided a fairly complimentary review.

“Not luxury but still yummy,” she said of her beef-and-veggie meal. The restroom was “cramped, but it does the job,” she added, and determined that the cheap seats are “fine.”

A means to an end

Unless you're flush with expendable income and planning a very long trip, there’s really not much justification for spending so much more for tickets that will get you to the same destination.

Ordinary travelers already know this, and some TikTokers are getting the message. Travel industry entrepreneur Jessica Dante said such content is far more relatable, explaining: “The vast majority of flyers will take economy and they still want to see videos that review airline experiences, show how people can get rest on long-haul economy flights.”

Chris Agee March 29th, 2024

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