A holidaymaker who bragged about how she faked a broken foot to skip queues at Manchester Airport has hit out at critics, saying if other people 'thought smart' they could jump the line too.
Charlotte Rees, 32, told of how she slipped on a protective boot to hoodwink staff in a viral TikTok video, which has attracted both admirers and critics. Charlotte, who jetted to Majorca with her fiance Paul Brown, 33, posted a video showing herself posing in the boot in the airport car park. She then bragged about whizzing through airport security in just five minutes - before ditching the boot in the loo.
Manchester Airport have called the stunt 'unacceptable', and said the act 'cannot be condoned'.
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“I just couldn’t stand the thought of having to stand in the queues," she said today, but admitted she was 'surprised' the trick worked.
"I did feel bad for the other people waiting," she added. "But if they thought smart they could have jumped the queue too. I just thought of many different ways I could have jumped the queue, choose the boot idea in the hope it pulled off and it did.”
Her TikTok has over 142,000 views - but some fellow holidaymakers blasted her for the con branding it “disgusting”, while others said it was genius.
Charlotte, from Manchester, said on her TikTok video: “How to get through airport security in five minutes from start to finish. When there is a three hour queue.” In the 20-second video it showed her posing with husband-to-be Paul, 33, in the car park with the medical boot on her right foot.
She documented them going through security, then revealed how they got ‘priority assistance’ because she lied about her injury. The couple quickly got themselves to the departure lounge and she then took the boot off and left it by a bin in the ladies’ loos.
Charlotte then filmed herself walking unaided in her white flip flops as she headed on holiday to celebrate her birthday. The pair then gave a thumbs up as they sat down for a meal before getting on their flight to Palma.
But the move has left viewers divided. Aimee O’Connor fumed: “Damn right disgusting.” However Charlotte hit back and replied: “Have a day off will ya.”
But another - called Olivia - said: ‘Have a day off’, do you think it’s fair that people who are disabled have to live with a condition day in and day out? Whilst you just get to pick and choose when to abuse this facility when you have no genuine reason.”
A third echoed this and said: “And block it up for people who actually need it, how selfish.” Defiant Charlotte said: “Your opinion is about as important as you, do one.”
A fourth said: “Yeah, really something to brag about," and another added: “She looks the sort to think she's more important than anyone else around her.” Charlotte replied: “Have a day off Karen.”
Katie Sims joked: “Comments didn’t go quite the way you wanted them to, did they. Unlucky.”
But not everybody was critical of Charlotte's ruse. Isobel said: “Sneaky, but clever. I like it," and another added: “Oh my God. Genius.” Charlotte - who got the boot from a friend - said: “Not everybody has seen the funny side of it. I did receive a small amount of negative comments from all the ‘Karens’.
“But I didn’t take up anybody’s space I just simply used my brain and got through the queue a lot faster.”
A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: “We work hard with our assisted travel provider, ABM, to ensure air travel is accessible to all and that all passengers have a smooth journey through Manchester Airport.
“Anything that undermines our ability to provide the best possible experience to those with the need for assistance is totally unacceptable and cannot be condoned.”
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