A woman who appeared to be named “maestermel82” and used the handle @maestermel827, recently posted a TikTok video expressing intense frustration over the cost of air travel in the United States. The video opened with a close-up shot of a laptop screen displaying the Orbitz.com website, which appeared to be a flight search page. A woman’s voice immediately stated, “I hate this garbage can of a country so much.”
The woman explained her personal struggle, saying she had not seen her mother in five years due to long-term unemployment. She noted that she could not afford to visit her mother, and her mother could not afford to visit her. The woman emphasized the financial strain, stating, “I’m spending money I literally don’t have. I’m literally not paying rent so I can go see my mom because God f–king forbid something happens to either one of us. I can’t go another 5 years. I can’t go another f–king year without seeing my goddamn mother.”
The laptop screen in the video showed a round-trip flight search from “San Francisco, CA, U.S.” to “Knoxville, TN, United States.” The screen displayed prices for departing flights on Wednesday, Oct 7, Thursday, Oct 8, and Friday, Oct 9, ranging from $572 to $1,082. The woman exclaimed, “Explain to me why a round-trip ticket in this country from San Francisco to f–king Knoxville on the, on, on the days I need to, to arrive, the only days they can pick me up, are $1,000 and 7—.”
Airline Fees and Seat Selection Costs Mount for Traveler
The video then transitioned to a “Select fare to Knoxville” page, which displayed different fare options for a United Airlines flight. The woman pointed to “Basic Economy” at $486.54 and a standard “Economy” fare at $557.74. She highlighted that Basic Economy did not allow carry-on bags or changes and charged $50 for the first checked bag, while the standard Economy included a carry-on bag. The woman then questioned, “And that’s, that’s not even the f–ked part. The f–ked part is why is it a $100 difference for a f–king carry-on, bitch? Look at these f–king prices.”
The video showed a “Trip total” of $624.33 on the screen, reflecting the flight cost. A woman in a recent TikTok video said that her $624 San Francisco to Knoxville flight would ultimately cost her “like out $800 f–king dollars” with the added expense of Lyft rides to and from the airport to see her mother. She stated, “This doesn’t even include the f–king Lyft I have to take to and from the airport. Why I’m gonna be like out $800 f–king dollars just to f–king go from California to Tennessee to visit my mother.”
The video then displayed a seat selection map for the flight, showing a grid of seats with various prices ranging from $48 to $195 for selection. The woman continued her frustrated commentary, stating, “First of all, there’s no aisle seats available. Uh, without paying an additional $70 to $170 f–king dollars, bitch. I’m losing my mind. I’m already at 624.”
She concluded by expressing her discomfort with the seating situation, particularly as an “overweight” person. She questioned, “Do you understand how uncomfortable it is to be in an airplane seat when you’re f–king overweight, let alone in the f–king middle?” On-screen text overlaid the video, reading, “And It Will Likely Begin Falling Apart Mid Air,” which seemed to underscore her exasperation and despair. The video’s public caption read, “Literally gonna literally crash out #flight.”
The video’s comment section featured various reactions, with some users sharing similar frustrations and others offering advice. One commenter stated, “2 years of unemployment is ridiculous wtf.” Another user suggested, “It’s because you are booking at the absolute last minute. You need to book about three months out. Even a month out be a lot cheaper.” Other comments included, “They’re $1000 because you’re booking a flight 3 days in advance,” and “This video just pmo.” One person noted, “It’s not a country thing, it’s a timing thing. All airlines are going to be more expensive last minute booking 🤷🏻♀️.” Another comment simply read, “You’re booking at the last minute.” Airport frustrations don’t stop at booking prices, as one traveler ordered a Blue Moon at an airport bar at 5:33 a.m. only for the bartender to tell her what they actually have.
