AOC flies first class to Bernie Sanders rally, but 'fights inequality'

Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was photographed flying first class to a Bernie Sanders event. The photos surfaced over the weekend and her critics said it showed her way of "standing up to inequality."

A passenger on JetBlue flight 511 departing from JFK airport in Queens bound for Las Vegas on March 19 was the one who photographed AOC, making herself comfortable in the spacious first-class cabin and shared this image on X later. A few hours later the Democrat would headline a rally alongside socialist Senator Sanders, titled "Fighting the Oligarchy."

The Democratic lawmaker favored by the radical left and an advocate for equality took the stage at separate events in North Vegas and at Arizona State University in Tempe.

The man who took the photo told the media that AOC did not respond to friendly comments once she was seated, and that she seemed very comfortable "traveling first class while tweeting messages about pay inequality."

Another passenger identified as Tracey said that "AOC is fighting the system, one first class mimosa at a time," referring to the politician's luxuries that contradict her speech.

In the photo that has sparked the controversy, the congresswoman, whose 14th district covers parts of the Bronx and Queens, is pictured leaning over her seat. A man is sitting next to her.

Such a flight costs more than $1,100

A JetBlue first-class seat on the same route, weekday and time later this month costs more than $1,100.

First-class seats on airplanes have also been widely attacked by climate change activists because they tend to produce far more carbon emissions than economy seats because they take up more space, thus reducing the number of people who can fly on a flight at one time.

Some X users also said that the "luxurious" trip by AOC, who has been known as a strong climate change protester, is simply the latest example of "left-wing hypocrisy."

AOC's campaign and district office declined to comment to the media on the case following the outpouring of criticism on social media.

Sanders rallies where AOC participated are particularly focused on criticizing government restructuring and the crackdown on illegal immigration undertaken by President Trump and his adviser, Elon Musk, who oversees the Department of Government Efficiency.