Influencer Sam Guggenheimer has drawn criticism for her boyfriend, Ryan Maloney, after she documented their flight to Europe where he booked a first-class ticket for himself while she initially purchased an economy seat.
Guggenheimer, who is dating Maloney, the son of wealthy socialites Di and Kim Maloney, shared her experience in a TikTok video. She described how Maloney booked a first-class ticket for himself for their flight from Sydney to London, while she had to buy her own economy ticket. The night before the flight, Guggenheimer upgraded her ticket, but she was still seated separately from Maloney.
"My spoiled little boyfriend had first class tickets, so I was raw-dogging it," Guggenheimer said in the video, referring to her economy seat.
She later shared her dissatisfaction with her economy experience, noting that the coffee tasted like "petrol" and that she was unable to sleep due to feeling "overwhelmed and so excited."
This situation gained attention on the pop culture podcast "Outspoken," where hosts Amy, Sophie, and Kate Taeuber discussed Maloney's actions. They labeled the behavior a "massive red flag" and questioned why Maloney did not book economy tickets to sit with Guggenheimer or pay for her upgrade.
"If he's got the money to afford first class, why doesn't he do the decent thing and say, 'Hey, here's a surprise for you. I'm going to take your crap ticket and you can sit up here,'" one host commented, while another host pointed out that Maloney's parents are the source of his wealth. Ryan Maloney's mother, Di Maloney, is a prominent socialite known for hosting extravagant parties.
Guggenheimer had previously posted a video explaining that Maloney had to persuade her to join him for a six-week trip to Europe, as she initially declined due to financial reasons and a need to "work on herself."