Luxair vs. video bloggers: what is the nature of the conflict and why is the company being criticized?

The dispute between video blogger Josh Cahill and Luxembourg-based airline Luxair has spread not only across social media but also into the country's political arena. The conflict erupted over an airport lounge. In June, Cahill expected to enjoy the benefits of Luxair's VIP lounge, but instead was denied access.

The blogger had a seven-hour layover, and an airport employee explained that the lounge could only be accessed four hours before the flight (and that's the maximum time of use, meaning you can't stay in the lounge more than four hours). According to Cahill, this condition was not clearly stated on Luxair's website. The blogger took out his camera, filmed the entire incident and posted the video online, where it has been viewed over half a million times. The employee in the video was easily found by users.

Luxair immediately sent Cahill a "warning letter" with a formal complaint, demanding that the video be removed or the employee's face blurred out. Otherwise, the airline threatened possible legal action because Cahill's actions were incompatible with Luxembourg's privacy laws. On July 12, the video blogger posted a new video with the faces already blurred. Luxair apologized for the incident and reimbursed Cahill for the lounge visit, which he had previously paid for with his ticket.

Politicians have now entered the fray. In response to a question from the ADR party, Mobility Minister Yuriko Backes said that Luxair had updated the lounge rules on its website to avoid similar misunderstandings in the future. Backes also stressed that no further legal action has been taken against Cahill.