‘How Is This Allowed?’ Passengers Slam Influencer’s Viral Aisle Workout In Emirates Business Class Gym Stunt

A Mexican fitness influencer went to town in business class on Emirates, and she’s getting roasted on social media for the stunt. Bárbara de Regil has over nine million Instagram followers. She claimed to have been traveling for 35 hours, stopping in Dubai. She says she felt “crazy” from sitting too long and decided to exercise. Wearing her Emirates pajamas, she busted out her routing of running-in-place movements and squat jumps in the aisle, while her husband sat on his phone.

She shared an 18-second clip of the workout, but she’s deleted is because reaction wasn’t what she expected. She was disruptive to the rest of the cabin, since she did it in the midst of the aisle. She should have done her exercises while stopped at the Dubai airport where facilities are more conducive.

She got attention, which maybe was what she was after, but at what cost?

If this happened on a flight I was on, I’d have flagged down a flight attendant and said something. Surely this is not appropriate. It’s fine when you’re the only passenger in the cabin, or when you’re traveling in a seat with enough enclosed space to do this privately (like the new Emirates first class, or Singapore Suites). It’s not fine in Emirates business, where it detracts from the overall experience. What would you have done?

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Good for not getting deep bone thrombosis. Compared to people and animals defecating, this is not a problem. Claudia Bárbara de Regil Alfaro is a Mexican actress.

  2. Evidently a simple walk up and down the aisle wouldn’t have gotten her the same number of clicks.

  3. Having done EK many years, often three days out, one day back flying, in economy cattle class (not premium economy), at over six feet tall and a gym rat also, I don’t understand feeling “crazy” and doing running in place and jumping air squats with long hair flying all over in the common aisle wearing EK pajamas. While debarking, I do pass through Business class and observe the spacious caccoons provided individual flyers. I think if that stunt happened to me, I would react the same way I do when someone is struggling with heavy luggage in the hat rack near or over my seat: i cower and brace my arms over my head and p;ray that nothing falls on me. Or is this new stealth marketing by EK to her flyng followers? Bizarre.

  4. This is such an interesting discussion! It’s surprising to see influencers pushing the boundaries in unique spaces like business class. While I appreciate the creativity, it raises questions about etiquette and respect for fellow passengers. What do you all think—should there be limits on such stunts in public areas?

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