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Aviation YouTuber Josh Cahill is known for his dramatic and often controversial airline reviews. He has once again found himself at the center of a major dispute (this time with Air Côte d’Ivoire and even members of the Ivorian government). The controversy stems from Cahill’s review of the airline’s inaugural Airbus A330-900neo flight between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Abidjan’s Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (ABJ), during which he accused the airline of “downgrading, scamming, and censoring” him. What initially appeared to be another case of airline mismanagement has since unraveled as a far more complicated (and misleading) story.
Cahill claimed he had purchased a Business Class ticket on the inaugural flight, only to find at check-in that his reservation had been moved to Economy, and that staff demanded an additional $1,500 for him to sit up front. His nearly 40-minute YouTube video accused Air Côte d’Ivoire of deception and incompetence. This garnered widespread outrage among his followers.
However, official clarification from Air Côte d’Ivoire and government representatives revealed that Cahill had in fact booked through Booking.com, which appears to have mispriced and misclassified the fare. The Business Class ticket (sold for €982, which is far below the published rate) was the result of a technical error in how the online travel agency mapped the airline’s fare classes.
The airline’s own systems, which categorize the front-row “business-plus” product as a higher-tier cabin, recognized the booking as Economy, leading to the confusion. While Cahill eventually flew in Business Class after being upgraded onboard, his portrayal of events left out key details about the mistake fare and how it was canceled prior to departure.
The Ivorian government stepped in after the video gained traction and accused Cahill of unfairly damaging the reputation of the national carrier. Officials explained that the incident resulted from a third-party booking system error and not any deliberate wrongdoing by the airline.
In the wake of the controversy, Air Côte d’Ivoire emphasized its commitment to transparency and noted that no other passengers experienced similar booking issues. The carrier, which recently launched long-haul service with its new Airbus A330-900neo, is considered a major symbol of progress for West African aviation.
Cahill has built a following by documenting flights on obscure or developing-world airlines while often dramatizing minor inconveniences or operational quirks. He brands himself as an independent, no-nonsense reviewer, but critics argue that his videos rely heavily on sensationalism and selective editing to generate views.
In this case, he appeared to omit critical facts (such as the booking source and fare discrepancy) that would have undermined his “scam” narrative. Aviation watchers point out that Cahill, as an experienced traveler, would have recognized the risk associated with unusually low fares from third-party sites. This isn’t the first time Cahill has clashed publicly with an airline. Similar disputes have erupted following his reviews of carriers including Pakistan International Airlines, Kuwait Airways, and Uzbekistan Airways. Each review was marked by allegations of mistreatment that were later disputed by the airlines involved. In the video above, he claims that he is “proudly banned” from Qatar Airways.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between social media influencers and the aviation industry. As airlines increasingly face public scrutiny online, reviewers like Cahill wield significant influence over perception (sometimes without accountability or full disclosure). While mistake fares and booking errors are a reality in air travel, most aviation observers agree that this situation was not a deliberate act by Air Côte d’Ivoire, but rather the result of a faulty fare mapping process. For travelers, the episode serves as a reminder to book directly through airlines when possible and to exercise caution with fares that seem too good to be true. Meanwhile, Air Côte d’Ivoire continues to expand its international network, determined not to let one viral video overshadow the achievement of launching West Africa’s newest long-haul flagship service.
Anthony’s Take: It’s scummy to try to create drama for views on YouTube. That’s what drives eyeballs, but it also makes people like Cahill look disingenuous and like they are out seeking trouble.
(Featured Image Credit: Air Côte d’Ivoire.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
