An Australian influencer has been banned from flying with two major airlines after inflating an emergency life jacket during a flight’s safety demonstration in a stunt that went viral.
Hugh Lovett, one of four brothers behind the social media group The Lovetts, was traveling on a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Adelaide on October 16 when he decided to pull a prank with the airline’s safety instructions.
Unfortunately for Lovett, the joke didn’t land, and he was escorted off the plane by police before receiving a ban from both Jetstar and its parent company, Qantas.
The incident comes after ‘looksmaxxer’ Androgenic was kicked off a Jetstar flight following concerns about his appearance after cosmetic surgery.
Influencer’s life jacket prank backfires with airline ban
In a viral Instagram video, Lovett can be seen sitting alongside his brother Blake as the aircraft’s pre-recorded safety demonstration explains how to use an emergency life jacket.
As passengers are instructed to only inflate their jackets when leaving the aircraft, Lovett pulls the inflation cord, causing his vest to rapidly expand around him.
His brother immediately covers his face in disbelief, while the video cuts to Lovett being escorted off the aircraft by Australian Federal Police officers after landing in Adelaide.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Lovett admitted that the stunt was supposed to be a joke.
“Honestly, I was just having a bit of fun. They did make it very clear not to put it on or pull it until you’ve left the aircraft. I just don’t listen very well,” he said.
Lovett was allowed to complete the flight after being moved to another seat with an unused life jacket, but his problems didn’t end when the plane touched down.
According to reports, he subsequently received an email informing him that he had been banned from flying with Jetstar and Qantas. The airlines have not publicly confirmed how long the restriction will remain in place.
In a statement to 7NEWS, a Jetstar spokesperson stressed that tampering with emergency equipment is no laughing matter.
“Customers are required by law to follow crew safety instructions at all times and must not remove or tamper with safety equipment, unless instructed to do so,” the spokesperson said.
“We have zero tolerance for behaviour that puts the safety of our customers and crew at risk.”
Instagram/hughlovettLife jackets are designed to be inflated after passengers exit an aircraft because doing so inside the cabin can restrict movement and potentially interfere with an evacuation.
The Australian Federal Police confirmed that inquiries into the incident were ongoing, with no charges publicly announced.
Lovett isn’t the first influencer to find himself grounded over an onboard stunt. Earlier in 2026, Colombian creator Yeferson Cossio was banned from Avianca for a year after setting off a stink bomb during a transatlantic flight.
For Lovett, a few seconds of viral content have now resulted in a ban from two of Australia’s biggest airlines.
