Sam Faiers hits back at backlash over her complaints about ‘tough’ business class flight

Sam Faiers has hit back at the public backlash she received over claims she complained about her ‘exhausting’ holiday in Abu Dhabi and ‘tough’ flight home in business class.  

The influencer, 32, spent a week in UAE on a family holiday with sister Billie and mum Suzie on a PR stay to advertise the country through her social media posts.

And after being branded ‘tone-deaf’ after sharing her difficulties about the journey home, Sam has now fumed that she ‘can’t win’, while insisting that her job as an influencer is ’24/7 work.’

The former TOWIE star had her say on her and Billie’s podcast, The Sam & Billie Show, stating that as the flights were gifted, she had to post about it, but she instead focused on the difficulties of travelling with children – especially one who is teething. 

She said: ‘It’s like, you kidding me? Like yes, I’ve flown business a few times, but not every time I fly is business. Like come on it’s like once like once in a blue moon because that was part of the job.’

Speaking out: Sam Faiers has hit back at the public backlash she received over claims she complained about her ‘exhausting’ holiday in Abu Dhabi and ‘tough’ flight home in business class

She went on: ‘You just can’t win, I had to post the flight because it was part of the job that we was there to do with the Tourism Board.

‘And then I didn’t want to speak about it being business because I did think, I’m just not like that to boast about business class seats. So I thought oh, you know, I will speak about the fact that I didn’t sit down for a second.’

The reality star told how she had hoped her followers would ‘relate’ to her struggles of travelling with young children and would admire her ‘honesty’, however, she was left exasperated when she didn’t get the response she expected.

She said on the podcast: ‘I really can’t be bothered to explain myself but it was like you know some people commenting saying things like, “Oh look at you showing off in your business class flight.”

‘Which I wasn’t by the way, and I was talking about Edward’s teeth’, before adding again: ‘You just can’t win.’

Older sister Billie, 33, then stepped in to defend her, chiming in: ‘It is frustrating because it’s like, I feel like I’ve worked really hard, same as you, to get what we’ve got and to do what we do, we’ve worked hard for it.

‘We’ve not sat around twiddling our thumbs.’

While Sam was then quick to insist: ‘It’s 24/7 work.’

Firing back: After being branded ‘tone-deaf’ after sharing her difficulties about the journey home, Sam has now fumed that she ‘can’t win’, while insisting that her job as an influencer is ’24/7 work’ 

Defence: ‘You just can’t win, I had to post the flight because it was part of the job that we was there to do with the Tourism Board’

Billie then noted that the siblings were just ‘normal girls’ who should be allowed to ‘celebrate’ their successes, adding: ‘We juggle and it is a juggle and sometimes a struggle.’

The furore began when after sharing a selfie cradling nine-month-old son Edward in first class seats, she stressed how ‘tough’ it had been for herself and partner Paul Knightley going on holiday with their baby, son Paul, seven, and daughter Rosie, five. 

She began: ‘The truth is going on holiday with small children is tough, especially with a crawling, teething baby.’ 

Sam continued: ‘We have had the most wonderful time in the sunshine, swimming every day, exploring, sightseeing and eating lots of ice cream but it’s exhausting, remember nobody said it was easy.’

‘As for the flight home Edward slept maybe 1 hour out of 7.5 safe to say I was doing everything I could to keep him entertained without crying.’

She went on to thank the ‘accommodating and kind’ Etihad Airways staff who had helped her when she felt ‘self-conscious’ about flying with a baby. 

Annoyed: ‘It’s like, you kidding me? Like yes, I’ve flown business a few times, but not every time I fly is business. Like come on it’s like once like once in a blue moon because that was part of the job’

Opinion: Billie, 33, then stepped in to defend her, chiming in: ‘It is frustrating because it’s like, I feel like I’ve worked really hard, same as you, to get what we’ve got and to do what we do, we’ve worked hard for it’

Yet the post immediately riled her followers who were quick to point out that the post seemed tone-deaf when many were struggling with a cost of living crisis. 

Other fans noted that it would have been harder flying in economy and asked Sam to ‘read the room’ and be aware of her ‘privilege.’ 

They commented: ‘This post is wrong, you are very privileged to travel business/first class and I acknowledge you work hard, but to post this, saying how hard it is travelling with 3 children is not representative of all you lovely followers, who imagine as I am/are having travelled with young children in economy where until up to the 2 years of age don’t even get their own seat’; 

‘just be grateful you weren’t in econonmy!’; ‘Just don’t know how you cope on business!’; ‘Yeah really hard when you’re in first class seats’; ‘oh shut the f**k up about tough omg such a hard life jetting about staying in luxurious resorts’;

‘maybe try doing it in economy where most of your followers would be then you’ll know tough’; ‘my heart bleeds. Read the room Sam. The rest of us are exhausted from living during a cost of living crisis. [sic]’

Fun in the sun: The influencer, 32, spent a week in UAE on a family holiday with sister Billie and mum Suzie on a PR stay to advertise the country through her social media posts

Not impressed: The post immediately riled her followers who were quick to point out that the post seemed tone-deaf when many were struggling with a cost of living crisis

Sam also received support from followers who noted that caring for young children is tough in any environment. 

They penned: ‘looks like you had a lovely time, people are jealous of you never mind’; ‘whatever your class we choose babies and children are babies and children wherever they are but it’s nice to see money don’t always buy happiness it nice to see reality’;

‘people get a grip if they want to pay their money they can fly whatever seats they like. The post is about flying on general and keeping kids occupied etc. [sic].’ 

The mother-of-three was quick to edit the post after the backlash, disabling the comments and changing the caption to read: ‘Home sweet home @etihad @visitabudhabi #findyourpace #inabudhabi #ad .’ 

Sam Faiers hits back at backlash over her complaints about ‘tough’ business class flight
Source: Viral Buzz Philippines