Social media has ruthlessly trolled a young influencer who filmed herself screaming aboard a Singapore Airlines flight after becoming terrified by turbulence… It turns out, however, that Mia You, a 27-year-old Korean who now lives in Singapore, has a very good reason for her extreme fear of turbulence.
Six days ago, Mia posted a video on TikTok titled ‘What I ate on the flight: anxious flyer edition.’ Since being posted, the video has gone viral and has already been viewed more than 25 million times.
@_youmia What I ate on the flight: anxious flyer edition 💅
♬ original sound – Mia
Mia was traveling on a Singapore Airlines flight in Business Class, and with her camera pointing right at her, we got to see exactly what her reaction was at the moment the plane started to experience turbulence.
After screaming and sobbing, Mia explained in a voiceover: “Basically, it felt like the plane dipped and I screamed my lungs out. I’m so sorry for everyone who was on that plane because, more than the turbulence itself, I think I scared everyone myself.”
“Guys, I know I’m so dramatic to scream that much, but guys, there was food flying in the aisle. It wasn’t a mild turbulence.”
Despite Mia’s self-awareness and apology, the internet was not so kind to her, with other TikTok users making parody videos and commentators calling her out on her video.
What those commentators and video posters didn’t know, however, was that Mia was seriously injured in a severe turbulence incident aboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ-321 from London Heathrow in May 2024 that claimed the life of one passenger who suffered a heart attack.
Scores of passengers and cabin crew were seriously injured when the Boeing 777-300 experienced extreme G-forces, flinging anyone who wasn’t buckled up into the air and then throwing them back towards the cabin floor.
@_youmia Follow up video.
♬ original sound – Mia
The pilots had switched on the seatbelt signs just moments before the turbulence struck, and at that moment, Mia was in the lavatory.
“For those who can’t relate, I’ll tell you how I got my fear,” Mia explains in a follow-up video on TikTok. “I was on this flight which was extreme turbulence. I think there were more than 100 injuries and one death.”
“And let me tell you, when this happened, I was in the bathroom and I fractured my spine. In my head, I couldn’t even register this as turbulence; I thought the plane was really going down.”
“For those who are saying it’s impossible to have a meltdown while filming, it took me two years, babe.”
“I edited the video and posted it because I thought it was funny, but I guess I cropped too much out and everyone thinks it’s fake.”
Bizarrely, even with this explanation, and photos of Mia in the hospital recovering from her traumatic experience, people have still come for in the comments, claiming the whole thing was “performative” and claiming she can’t really have a fear of flying because she still got on a plane.
“The lack of empathy people have is INSANE. This woman had PTSD from her previous trauma, not everyone has to act a certain way,” wrote Sharona in Mia’s defense. While someone else called out the hypocrisy of people calling for better mental health awareness while dragging Mia.
“‘Mental health matters and shouldn’t be hated on!!’ Until it’s some girl sharing her experience through TikTok. Y’all know NOTHING about this person,” the person wrote. “Every person has their own perception about things. Y’all don’t understand a panic attack until u get one.”
“Influencer”
Someone under 30 that is blessed with good to mediocre looks.
Beauty fades , hon, and we all get old.
NOT IMPRESSED
Well said.
“The lack of empathy people have is INSANE.” It’s not. You get what you deserve. Everyone calling him/herself an influencer believes he can do everything, luck will always be on his side and if not, he can whine to his followers from whom only pity and comfort would come back. The OP may not be questioned for his behavior or as a person in general. Well, the reality is a different pair of shoes. QED.
The first thing that I do when experience turbulence is pull my phone out so that I can video myself. Unbelievable that we give attention to this nonsense!