Instagram Star Leaves Husband and Kids in Economy When She Flies First Class

A 40-year-old Instagram star and television presenter is catching flack after she told several media outlets that she leaves her husband and kids in economy when she flies first class because she needs "time to focus" and doesn't want to "catch a cold." 

Naomi Isted, a fashion journalist and TV presenter from Essex in the United Kingdom, has over 100,000 social media followers and has worked for ITV's Good Morning Britain and This Morning. In an interview with INSIDER, she said that she and her husband Haydn, 40, travel the world producing "bespoke digital content for global clients." 

Isted explained that she travels every six weeks on average, and that she always tries to get a first class upgrade using miles or persuasion: "If I'm booked in economy, I will always try to upgrade if there's scope to do so." 

However, when the couple travels with their two kids, aged three and nine, Isted says she upgrades alone, as the kids are too young to appreciate first class. 

"I never personally experienced business or first until I was presenting a wine TV shows in my 20s," she said. Adding that people shouldn't travel first class until they "appreciate and understand the value of money and hard work." 

"I believe that instilling gratitude and a work ethic into your children is crucial as a parent," she added. 

Isted told INSIDER that she spends the flight "drafting content, scheduling content, and researching and preparing scripts." 

"Obviously if my husband and I are on our own without the kids we would both try to get an upgrade, however if it's the four of us, I need to concentrate as I may be working the entire flight, so it's much easier to get everything planned if I have the time to focus," she added. 

Isted told The Sun: 

"I don't take it in turns with Haydn to upgrade. He appreciates that these are opportunities I am bringing to the family."

"He can't write the scripts for me, although I probably wouldn't swap anyway." 

Isted went on to explain to INSIDER how she gets an upgrade:

"It really is different all the time. I have friends working on flights, sometimes an airline may invite me to upgrade when they know I'm travelling, and I have also paid in the past."

"Some airlines I wouldn't bother upgrading as it's not worth it," she said. "However, I think it's more the space and facilities that can make it worthwhile — the quality of the food or the space and comfort of a seat with various charging points, if you're working as I am." 

Isted also said that she doesn't like travelling in economy because she might catch an illness from passengers. 

"As a presenter the main thing for me is preserving my voice and not catching bugs or colds from nearby passengers who could be in a very close proximity if travelling economy."