James Charles Issues Second Apology Over Spirit Airlines Video, Announces New Support Initiative

James Charles is stepping back from the controversy surrounding his Spirit Airlines employee remarks, releasing a second apology and committing to a new initiative following widespread social media backlash.

The 27-year-old content creator posted a more than seven-minute TikTok video over the weekend to address the situation. The incident stemmed from an angry video he has since deleted, in which he criticized a woman who had lost her job at Spirit Airlines after she contacted him via direct message with a link to her GoFundMe page.

In the deleted video, Charles had called her derogatory names for requesting financial assistance. He initially uploaded an apology video after the backlash intensified, but the original recipient of his criticism subsequently shared what she claimed was his direct message response to her request for help.

During his latest statement, Charles described his original video as "awful," "terrible," "nasty," and "completely unnecessary." He emphasized that he posted it on his secondary account rather than his main channel and took responsibility without offering excuses.

The influencer acknowledged that he struggled to understand why he reacted so strongly to what amounted to a single unsolicited message. He expressed regret over creating content targeting someone reaching out during a difficult period of their life, noting that while he didn't intend to characterize unemployed individuals as lazy, his video conveyed exactly that message.

Charles was candid about the role backlash played in shifting his perspective. He admitted that when he first posted the video, he saw nothing wrong with it, and only after receiving criticism from other creators and negative comments did he reconsider his actions. Over the following two weeks, he said he spent time educating himself on why his response was inappropriate.

Beyond the public apology, Charles revealed he reached out privately to the Spirit Airlines worker and made donations to her GoFundMe as well as those of other employees affected by the airline's bankruptcy filing.

However, Charles stressed that an apology and donations were insufficient responses. He reflected on a comment he had made in the original video suggesting the worker simply find another job, recognizing now that such advice fails to account for current economic realities. He acknowledged his previous ignorance about the severity of job market conditions and expressed shame over that gap in understanding.

The past two weeks, Charles explained, involved extensive conversations and careful attention to people's stories—both supporters and critics alike. He credited this period of listening with helping him grasp the actual challenges facing people navigating today's economy.

Charles also reflected on his own privileged position as an online content creator, noting that his ability to earn a living making beauty tutorials represents a significant advantage. He described losing touch with the extent of that privilege and emphasized his commitment to using his platform more responsibly moving forward.