Influencer sparked outrage with social media post on her way to film festival: 'Solely to brag'

Texas-based influencer Jenna Palek posted some travel complaints that only a select few could relate to — she was worried about missing her private jet to the Cannes Film Festival. As a result, several commenters posted their unsympathetic reactions in the r/jennapaleksnark subreddit.

Worrying about missing a flight or delays is common during a typical busy summer travel season. Jenna had such a delay on her Austin to Dallas flight. Any potential empathy from other fliers ends once she mentions a "drive to a private terminal for a private jet to Cannes."

Before reaching the private jet, she would need a flight from Austin to Dallas and another one to LaGuardia, followed by a ride to that exclusive terminal.

One commenter remarked, "This post was solely to brag." Other commenters couldn't understand why Jenna only gave herself such a short window to connect from Dallas to New York.

This story is one of many examples where influencers have sparked viewer outrage with their sometimes tone-deaf and excessive consumption, which is even more noticeable during economic uncertainty for many.

While there are many options for sustainable travel products, one influencer showed off all the single-use items in her travel bag. Reality star Kylie Jenner was outed for using her private jet for 3-minute flights.

Flying around in a private jet can be the ultimate form of luxury, but excessive use doesn't fare well for the environment. According to a report from Transport Environment, private jets are 5 to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes (per passenger) and a whopping 50 times more than train travel.

GlobalData analyst Will Tyson told Airport Technology, "The altitude from which the gases [carbon, nitrogen, and vapor trails] are emitted also has an impact due to the greenhouse effect being stronger the higher in the air you are."

Those effects include causing the planet to overheat, with 2024 being the hottest year since global records began in 1850, according to Climate.gov. The result is more devastating weather patterns, including frequent droughts, drying lakes, and heatwaves, along with a risk to food chain security from devastated crops.

If Jenna finds herself in this situation again before next year's Cannes Festival, one commenter wants her to know "she could have flown direct into JFK and taken a 30 [minute] at most Uber to LGA." She can further increase her role in creating a cleaner and safer future by requesting "Uber Green."

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