Gabriella Karefa-Johnson has claimed that she chose to downgrade from first class on a recent flight after experiencing what she described as substandard service due to her race.
The former Vogue editor alleged that the treatment came from a flight attendant and added that she also noticed the premium cabin was largely filled with white, middle-aged men.
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson’s remarks sparked mixed reactions online, with some expressing anger over how she was allegedly treated, while others accused her of adopting a “victim mentality.”
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson Claims She Self-Downgraded To Protect Her Emotional And Mental Well-Being
On Tuesday, Karefa-Johnson took to her Threads account to recount her alleged experience aboard a flight she took to Milan.
According to the Brooklyn-based journalist, she had originally booked a first-class seat for her flight, but midway through the journey, she chose to downgrade herself to business class.
Karefa-Johnson shared she made the decision when the flight attendant appeared to act with bias while serving her in the cabin, which she claimed was largely occupied by white men.
“In a cabin of six, five of the passengers were white middle-aged men… then there was me, a 30-something black woman who travels in that cabin often, and a male flight attendant who thought I’d be okay with substandard service and persistent micro-aggression from the moment I sat down,” she wrote.
“He was… wrong,” Karefa-Johnson further remarked. “I don’t suffer fools, and I would sacrifice physical comfort to protect my emotional and mental well-being any day.”
The Woke Activist Was Grossed Out By The Incident
Down in the comments section, Karefa-Johnson shared further details about the incident while interacting with concerned fans.
She explained that although she could have requested a different flight attendant, she opted not to, saying his behavior had ruined the experience and left her feeling uncomfortable.
The fashion enthusiast also acknowledged the possibility that the attendant might have been having a bad day, but added that the encounter still unsettled her.
Karefa-Johnson further noted that she had received apologies from both the pilot and the purser, yet she intends to formally report the incident to the airline.
Netizens Had Mixed Reactions To Gabriella Karefa-Johnson’s Claims
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Some fans expressed outrage over the incident and offered apologies to Karefa-Johnson for the treatment she allegedly received on the flight.
“I’m sorry you had to do that-you deserve to be anywhere and everywhere. They belong in economy,” one fan told the journalist.
However, there were also a number of individuals who claimed the incident never happened, while others argued that Karefa-Johnson was exhibiting a victim mentality.
“I’m calling bullsh-t. American Airlines doesn’t have first class and business class to Milan. They have Business, Premium, and Economy,” a user shared.
“A business class cabin of 6? Assuming it was a wide-body aircraft, the business class cabin has about 38-40 seats,” another individual commented.
The Ex-Vogue Editor Was Accused Of Playing The Victim
More critics of Karefa-Johnson called her out for seemingly playing the victim card, with some even going as far as branding her racist.
“You’re actively looking for ways to be offended. Living with a victim mentality because the media told you you’re oppressed is exhausting — and unnecessary. No one in first class cares who you are; they’re just traveling. Now you’re complaining about who belongs in first or business class? That’s not activism — that’s entitlement,” one other netizen stated.
Another wrote, “Sounds like that’s a race problem. Sounds like she has something against white people. Honestly, that’s just sad.”
One more critic noted, “So she voluntarily moved to the back of the bus to segregate herself from white men? Strange times we live in.”
The Ex-Vogue Editor Courted Controversy Over An Anti-Israel Rant In 2023
Back in 2021, Karefa-Johnson gained widespread attention after reaching a major milestone as the first Black woman to style a Vogue cover.
However, just a few years later, she stepped away from her role at the publication following backlash over comments that were widely criticized as anti-Israel.
Karefa-Johnson had claimed that Israel was carrying out “genocide” and went as far as to liken the Israel Defense Forces to a “terrorist organization,” comments she made in the aftermath of Hamas-led attacks that killed over 1,400 Israelis.
“It’s so disappointing to see the utter lack of understanding of the basic tenets and tactics of colonization, and one’s willingness to justify and defend those systems which have only ever oppressed,” she wrote on her Instagram page after the October 7 Hamas attack in 2023, per the Daily Mail.
“Damn. I hate when Instagram shows me what I hope I never know about the people I follow and their horrifying belief systems,” the journalist continued.
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