Category: Business

• A Qatar Airways Boeing 777 was delayed in Athens due to a technical issue in intense heat.
• Passengers endured 95-degree temperatures for three hours, per local reports.
• Videos shared online showed passengers fanning themselves and one shirtless man covered in sweat.

Dozens of passengers were filmed struggling with the heat when their flight was stuck on the tarmac.

Qatar Airways flight 204 was delayed in Athens on Monday, when temperatures reached 95 degrees.

Those on board included athletes returning home from a Muay Thai competition in the Greek capital.

A reporter from the Thai newspaper Matichon, who said they were on on the Boeing 777, reported that the air conditioning malfunctioned.

Over the next three hours, passengers began sweating and taking off their clothes, the report added.

A sports therapist shared videos of the turmoil on Instagram, showing uncomfortable passengers fanning themselves to cool down.

"Passengers were literally dehydrating and passing out on the plane," he wrote. "Damian [a man featured in one of the videos] is a fit, conditioned athlete, imagine the stress and danger for any normal individual."

Other images obtained by The Sun showed a shirtless man covered in beads of sweat.

It reported that passengers were let off the plane after three hours. The flight landed in Doha on Tuesday morning, 16 hours later than scheduled, per data from Flightradar24.

The heat wave in Athens has seen the Acropolis closed for five hours, schools shut, and garbage collection also halted, with temperatures forecast to reach 102 degrees. Monday's incident highlights how the climate crisis, causing more frequent heat waves, could pose problems for airlines and passengers.

"Qatar Airways sincerely apologizes for the delay to passengers traveling on flight QR204 from Athens (ATH) to Doha (DOH) on Monday 10 June 2024, which was due to a technical issue," an airline spokesperson said in a statement shared with Business Insider.

They said passengers were asked to deplane and were supported by Qatar staff while the problem was fixed. In Doha, "we extended our full support to all affected passengers upon arrival to ensure smooth onward connections to their final destination," they added.

"We regard the safety and comfort of our passengers and crew as our highest priority at all times, and have offered our apologies to each passenger affected by this unforeseen disruption and the inconvenience caused," they said.

"Additionally, passengers have been informed of their compensation entitlements in line with the applicable regulations."

• Gen Zers are mocking Gen Alpha tweens, saying they are stunted when it comes to socializing.
• They have coined the term "blue light stare" to describe their reliance on screens. 
• Experts say these trends reflect deeper issues from the pandemic affecting young generations.

Intergenerational teasing seems inevitable. Baby boomers labeled Gen Zers as lazy. Millennials think Gen Xers are lame. And everybody seems to hate millennials.

But Gen Z has a new target: Gen Alpha.

Zoomers are starting to tease Gen Alpha tweens, saying they are stunted when it comes to socializing because of what they say is their addiction to screens.

They've also coined the phrase "the blue light stare" to describe a particular blank look they say is given by Gen Alpha kids, who are born from 2010 to 2024.

It references the "lead poison stare" — a blank expression that has become associated with boomers on social media, particularly when complaining or becoming aggressive with service workers.

Nicholas Drake, a content creator, described the blue light stare as a "nonchalant, just unbothered look on their face."

"Almost like they're starting at a screen and they're watching a video, or they're playing a video game," he said. "They're just not all there."

Lighthearted ribbing or something more?

Generational wars are cyclical, and this may just be the latest lighthearted ribbing every cohort goes through.

But the trend may also signify something deeper.

Criticism has long been leveled at children of millennials and Gen Zers. Some say they are hard to control, struggle at school, and are showing signs of developmental distress inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I personally want us to focus on asking why rather than judging what is," Katya Varbanova, an internet and marketing expert, told BI. "This new generation has the world at their fingertips."

Nonchalant and unbothered

Lyndsey Getty, a mental health researcher and author, told BI there is "no real benefit" to judging someone based on when they were born.

Often, this comes from a lack of knowledge, insecurity, or an "us vs. them mindset," she said.

"In order to stop this destructive habit, we need to stop labeling it as inevitable and see it for what it truly is," she said. "Unhealthy generalizations."

But Zoomers have always seemed to target other generations.

They enjoyed mocking "millennial humor" in favor of more absurdist internet jokes while deriding the side parts and skinny jeans of the generations that came before them.

Artificial blue light from screens is the latest turn of phrase to signify bad behavior in public, and Zoomers are quick to point it out.

A TikToker called Hannah said she was recently served by a "Gen Alpha kid" and that the "blue light stare is so real."

She imitated how the young server, who she guessed was around 13 or 14, was expressionless for most of the encounter, dismissive, and kept scrolling on their phone.

Ripples from the pandemic

Jenny Flora Wells, a licensed social worker and holistic therapist, told BI it is evident Gen Alpha "has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic."

These youngsters were aged 10 and under in 2020, meaning many of their formative years will have been tarnished by lockdowns, global panic, and limited socializing.

Brenda Christensen, the CEO of Stellar Public Relations, Inc., who worked on campaigns for cellphones and GameBoy, says extensive use of technology from a young age could also be influencing children's development and learning.

While social media jabs are mostly lighthearted, they point to a deeper issue, Christensen said, as too much screen time "can affect their attention spans, critical thinking skills, and interpersonal interactions."

"Gen Alpha is growing up with unparalleled access to information and tools that can foster creativity and innovation," she said. "The challenge lies in balancing screen time with activities that promote holistic development."

Feeling in control

Gen Zers may also feel a little threatened.

Gen Alpha is set to be the largest generation. They will take over the internet and become some of the biggest spenders in history.

There is a scarcity of jobs and opportunities for young people, "which is the competition and divide among generations to stay afloat in today's world," Wells said.

Gen Z "has also been cheated of opportunity," she said, so it may feel inclined to pick on those younger than them as a means of self-preservation.

"There is a deeper meaning here that can be tied back to the heavy-hitting issues facing our society," Wells said.

Varbanova told BI that technological advancements will continue to change how we communicate and live in this world, and she doesn't think that's necessarily a bad thing.

"Some skills and behaviors might become extinct," she said, pointing to how much has already changed within our lifetimes with phones and media consumption. It's only going to ramp up more with developments in AI, she said.

Terms such as "blue light stare," Varbanova said, "makes people feel more in control."

"We as a society look for signals through labels," she said. "It's how we survive."

• The Consumer Price Index, an inflation measure, increased 3.3% year over year in May.
• That's just below the 3.4% rate in April and the forecast.
• The CPI was unexpectedly unchanged from April to May.

The year-over-year percent change in the Consumer Price Index in May came in just below the forecast and so did the percent change in core CPI.

A news release on Wednesday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics noted the CPI increased 3.3% from May 2023 to this past May. The forecast noted on Investing.com was 3.4%, which would have been the same year-over-year rise as in April.

The CPI was unchanged from April to May. The forecast was an increase of 0.1% following the 0.3% increase from March to April.

Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose 3.4% year over year in May. The expectation for this per Investing.com was an increase of 3.5%, which would have also meant a cooler rate than the 3.6% rate before it.

Core CPI rose 0.2% in May from the preceding month. That's less than the forecast of 0.3% and the previous rate of 0.3%.

Inflation measures like the CPI suggest US inflation is still too high although these rates look a lot better than back in 2022. The Fed's interest rate decision will be announced later on Wednesday; it's expected the target range for the federal funds rate will continue to be the same.

While Americans are probably not going to see interest rate cuts for now, there could be cuts later this year.

"I think that there'll be enough softness and coolness in the economy for them to begin to cut rates this year," David Kelly, the chief global strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, told Business Insider earlier this month. "And if I had to bet, I bet that we will get two rate cuts, one in September and one in December."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

• The creator economy is catching notable VCs' attention — and their wallets.
• Creator-focused startups are raising millions of dollars.
• Here are the pitch decks that 34 startups used in Series A, seed, and pre-seed rounds.

The creator economy has bred a new generation of startups — from influencer-marketing companies to new social-media experiences.

These startups have captured the attention and wallets of influential venture capitalists and angel investors over the last several years, giving rise to several unicorn valuations in the space, such as the link-in-bio service Linktree (valued at $1.3 billion in 2022) and the affiliate-marketing platform LTK (valued at $2 billion in late 2021).

Check out 14 VCs who are investing in innovative startups focused on the creator economy and influencers

Even as the economy has weathered changing tides and investments have cooled across industries, some startups in this sector are still raising money.

Several startups announced seven-figure seed rounds in 2023, including the Web3-inspired social network Seam Social's $2.5 million round in December. Last year also saw several later-stage funding rounds, such as one from Whop, an e-commerce marketplace for digital goods, which announced its $17 million Series A in July. Karat, a financial startup for creators, raised a $70 million Series B in June — though it proves that a big VC round doesn't ensure stability, as the company later conducted layoffs in October.

Here are 16 creator-economy startups that raised the most money in 2023.

So, how do creator-economy startups land those investments? Often, it starts with a pitch deck. 

Lumanu, a creator-focused financial startup, uses a simple pitch deck that's more of a "conversation guider," its cofounder and CEO, Tony Tran, told BI.

"My pitch is always why, what, how, and why now?" Tran said. (Read the full pitch deck here.)

Skye, a career-coaching startup, had different pitch decks depending on the type of investor or fund they pitched to.

"I had two different versions, depending on the fund," Jessica Wolf, Skye's CEO and one of its cofounders, said. "If I knew a fund was more into pre-seed, all about the founder, I had one deck. But if I knew that they were a numbers person, I would use another one."

Every startup has a different approach.

Some, such as Throne, even ditch the pitch deck altogether and opt for an email or Notion document.

Read the email template creator-economy startup Throne used to secure its seed investment.

BI talked with founders who've pitched their startups to investors about their process. They broke down the pitch decks they used to secure millions of dollars in funding.

Read the pitch decks that helped 34 creator-focused startups fundraise millions of dollars:

Note: Pitch decks are sorted by investment stage and size of round.

Series A

• Restream, a livestreaming alternative to platforms like the Amazon-owned Twitch: $50 million Series A (14 pages)
• ShopMy, an affiliate platform that lets creators earn commissions through shoppable landing pages: $26.5 million Series A (23 pages)
• Pearpop, a creator-marketing platform: $18 million Series A (18 pages)
• Spoon Radio, a social-audio startup: $17 million Series A (15 pages)
• Kyra, a content studio, talent-management firm, and influencer-marketing platform: $15 million Series A (20 pages)
• Allstar, a startup helping gamers become social-media creators: $12 million Series A (6 pages)
• Lumanu, a business-solutions platform for creators: $12 million Series A (8 pages)
• Hype, a platform for link-in-bio and other creator-monetization tools: $10 million Series A (13 pages)
• Catch+Release, a startup that helps creators and everyday social-media users license their content to brands: $8.8 million Series A (12 pages)
• Slip.stream, a music startup focused on gamers: $7.5 million Series A (13 pages)
• Brag House, an esports startup: $5 million Series A (24 pages)

Seed

• Scenario, a generative-AI startup to create gaming art and assets: $6 million seed (8 pages)
• Authoritive, an online course-development startup: $5 million seed (11 pages)
• Dharma, a travel startup for creators and brands: $4.7 million pre-Series A (17 pages)
• Glystn, an AI-powered community-management platform: $4 million seed (15 pages)
• Anima, an augmented-reality startup: $3 million (15 pages)
• Grandstand, a sports startup working with athlete creators: $2.75 million
• Seam Social, a new Web3 social-media platform: $2.5 million (10 pages)
• Spark, a digital-art platform from the YouTuber Moriah Elizabeth: $2.5 million seed (9 pages)
• Insense, a startup helping e-commerce brands get low-cost ads: $2.5 million pre-Series A (9 pages)
• Supercast, a podcast subscriptions startup: $2 million seed (20 pages)
• Chartmetric, a music-data and -measurement company: $2 million seed (46 pages)
• Ultimate Playlist, a music-marketing startup: $2 million round (9 pages)
• Magroove, a music-distribution and -discovery platform: $1.6 million seed (21 pages)
• Stagetime, a professional-networking startup for performing artists: $1.5 million seed (13 pages)
• Jubilee Media, a content studio looking to expand beyond YouTube and TikTok: $1.1 million seed-plus (12 pages)

Pre-Seed

• Storiaverse, a startup for animators and writers: $2.5 million pre-seed (16 pages)
• July, a "talent manager in your pocket" for creators: $2.3 million pre-seed (9 pages)
• Squads, a startup that helps creators mint and sell crypto coins: $1.8 million pre-seed (12 pages)
• Skye, a career-coaching platform: $1.6 million pre-seed (33 pages)
• Punchup Live, a comedy platform: $1 million pre-seed (19 pages)
• Spore, a content and community-building startup: $1 million pre-seed (17 pages)
• Hashtag Pay Me, a startup that helps creators price brand deals: $200,000 pre-seed (9 pages)
• Our Future, a short-form video-news brand that targets Gen Z: acquired (15 pages)

• Ukraine used at least 10 US-supplied ATACMS to hit Russian air defenses in Crimea, per reports.
• Ukraine's Army General Staff said it hit an S-400 "Triumf" and two S-300 air-defense missile systems.
• This would be one of the first strikes Ukraine launched against Crimea using the US-supplied weapons.

Ukraine used at least 10 US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS, to hit Russian air defenses in Crimea on Monday, according to reports.

Ten missiles hit the 31st Air Defense Division of the Russian Defense Ministry in occupied Crimea, Russian independent Telegram channel Astra reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

The strikes killed one soldier, wounded six, and damaged two S-300 missile systems and four radars, the outlet reported.

Prominent Russian blogger Rybar went further, saying Ukraine launched at least 12 ATACMS from the Mykolaiv region, which hit Chernomorsky, Yevpatoria, and Dzhankoy on Monday.

Schemes, part of Radio Liberty, shared satellite images of what it said were before and aftermath images of a military facility in the city of Dzhankoy in occupied Crimea on Monday.

The images, which the outlet dated April 27, May 20, and June 10, show an air-defense system in the area in May, with fortifications being built later, it said.

It said the quality of the satellite images did not allow it to identify the type of equipment that was hit.

One image of the aftermath shows a trail of burned land.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine appeared to confirm some of the details in a Facebook post on Monday.

It said it launched strikes on a Russian S-400 "Triumf" missile system and two S-300 missile systems overnight on Monday.

It said none of its missiles were intercepted, but did not specify which type of missiles were used.

In a report on Monday, Washington DC-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine likely used ATACMS in the attack.

Business Insider couldn't independently verify details of the attack or the type of missile launched in the strike. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

If true, this would be one of the first ATACMS strikes Ukraine has launched against Crimea since the US secretly sent the country about 100 ATACMS in April.

Ukraine has already reportedly used one of the missiles to take out more than 100 Russian soldiers stationed 50 miles from the front line in occupied Luhansk Oblast, showcasing the missile's range and power.

Philip Karber, a military analyst with expertise on Ukraine, told Radio Free Europe in April that the weapons "could basically make Crimea militarily worthless."

On Wednesday, Ukraine said its troops launched another missile strike on Crimea overnight, on an S-300 missile system and two S-400 missile systems.

• Our family traveled to London, apprehensive of how the kids would eat there with food allergies.
• We were pleasantly surprised by the precautions that London restaurants take — more than in the US.
• London is an ideal destination for food allergy families, and we can't wait to visit again.

As a parent of kids with food allergies, traveling can be stressful. I worry about what they will eat and whether they will be safe when we are outside the comfort of our home.

We typically avoid restaurants. Relying on staff about allergens can be terrifying, especially when they are misinformed.

Yet, I love to travel and share that passion with them. I wanted to show them that we can have amazing adventures, despite our food allergies.

So I booked our family flights to London and prepared as much as I could.

I quickly realized London restaurants are more accommodating

Armed with EpiPens and a suitcase full of foods free of the top eight allergens, we were off on our first London adventure.

When we arrived at our hotel in London's West End, I quickly scanned the area for grocery stores and discovered that there were none. The kids wanted hot food, so we went on a quest to find a good meal.

We discovered a traditional UK pub nearby. I hoped we could find at least one safe food they could eat. I was surprised as to what happened next.

As soon as we sat down, the waiter greeted us. The first question he asked was, "Do you have any food allergies?" In my experience in the US, servers rarely initiate conversations about food allergies. When we ask, they often respond annoyed.

Delighted that I didn't have to initiate this discussion, I listed their many allergies. He pointed out the separate fryers and work spaces to avoid cross-contamination.

He brought out an iPad with an app that listed the allergens for every item on the menu. We typed in our food allergies, and the app told us the foods my kids could eat.

We were thrilled, and the kids devoured their meals safely and without worry.

Could eating at a London restaurant with food allergies be this easy? It was too good to be true!

I figured this was a fluke, so we went to another place. They took the same precautions, provided me with an allergen menu, and did their due diligence to avoid cross-contamination.

My kids never ate so safely and so well as they did in London

My kids have never eaten so well and safely as they did while on vacation in London. London is an ideal international destination for food allergy families.

Curious as to why we were having such a different experience in London than in the US, I researched.

There are more food allergy regulations in the UK than in the US. In the UK, Natasha's Law protects people with food allergies who rely on ingredient transparency. Restaurants must provide allergen information in writing. There is no US federal regulation requiring allergen disclosure in restaurants.

In the UK, restaurants are required to list 14 common allergens on food labels, while in the US, they list nine. In the UK, servers ask their customers about food allergies, while in the US, the customers ask.

Traveling with kids brings unexpected surprises, sometimes good and sometimes bad. In our case, we unexpectedly ate like royalty. We will visit London again with hungry stomachs and a newly gained sense of safety.

• Ukraine appeared to take out a Russian S-400 system in Crimea with Western ATACMS missiles.
• The much-feared S-400 air-defense system is more advanced than the much older ATACMS.
• Experts told BI that S-400s are Russia's best, but their performance in Ukraine has been mixed.

Ukraine's latest claimed strike on Crimea is likely another example of how its older, Western-supplied missiles can foil even Russia's most advanced air-defense systems.

Ukraine's General Staff said Ukrainian forces hit a Russian S-400 antiaircraft missile unit and two S-300 antiaircraft missile units on the Russia-annexed peninsula overnight on Sunday into Monday, and that they immediately stopped working.

It did not say what type of missiles were used, but Washington DC-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War said it was "likely with ATACMS" — US-made tactical ballistic missiles.

Rybar, an influential Russian military blogger, said on Monday that Ukraine had attacked Crimea with at least 12 ATACMS missiles.

The S-400 is Russia's most advanced air defense system. It first became operational in 2007, more than two decades after the ATACMS, which have been in service since 1986.

Ukraine said none of its missiles were downed in the attack, while mocking Russia's descriptions of its own air defenses.

"None of our missiles fired were intercepted by the enemy's 'highly effective' air defense," Ukraine's General Staff said.

The S-400 is Russia's best

Rajan Menon, director of the Grand Strategy program at the US think tank Defense Priorities, described the S-400 to BI earlier this year as Russia's "top-of-the-line air defense system."

But he said its performance in Ukraine has been "mixed," with Ukraine able to take some out.

Ukraine's General Staff said on Wednesday that it destroyed another S-400 and another S-300 in Crimea, without detailing what it used in the attack.

The S-400 was developed as a rival to the US' Patriot system, and the head of Rosoboronexport, the Russian state-owned military company that oversees much of Russia's military exports, has called it the "best long-range air defense system in the world."

Experts told BI that the system is clearly very capable and feared by Ukraine.

But they said it has proved vulnerable in Russia's ongoing invasion, and credited Ukraine with using skilled and creative tactics to go after the weapons.

Last November, the UK Ministry of Defence said that Ukraine had likely destroyed at least four of the systems in just a week.

A Russian Telegram channel that claims to have sources in Russia's police and military agencies said at the time that ATACMS were used.

Ian Williams, the former deputy director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said last year that the S-400s "seem to have struggled against Storm Shadows," referring to missiles supplied to Ukraine by the UK and France, which were first used in 2003.

Fredrik Mertens, an analyst at the Hague Center for Strategic Studies, told BI that "we clearly know that Ukrainian missiles are getting through and at rates that they really pose a problem for the Russians."

Meanwhile, George Barros, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told BI this week that the problem could actually become worse for Russia.

He said that new permissions given by some allies to allow Ukraine to use Western-donated weapons to strike military targets in Russia will put its S-400s and other air defenses — those once outside Ukraine's strike range — at risk.

Crimea at renewed risk

At the same time, Ukraine said last month that it used Western-supplied ATACMS to strike the Russian Kerch ferry crossing into Crimea.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, in a move that was condemned around the world. Most countries do not recognize the territory as part of Russia.

Ukraine has vowed to retake the region, which Russia uses to launch attacks on Ukraine.

Philip Karber, a military analyst with expertise on Ukraine, said in April that Ukraine is now in a position to use ATACMS to make Crimea "militarily worthless."

• The Wall Street Journal reported a former SpaceX intern's account of having sex with Elon Musk.
• The woman, who met Musk during her internship, later joined his executive team, the report said.
• The woman told the outlet she had no "romantic relationship" with Musk during her full-time role.

A new report by The Wall Street Journal includes a former SpaceX intern's story of having a brief relationship with Elon Musk that included sex.

Musk was said to have first met the woman in the early 2010s during her internship at the rocket company while she was still in college, according to the report. She told friends that she approached him with ideas for improving SpaceX and that it led to a date where the two bonded over "Star Wars" and kissed, the report said.

Musk later flew the woman to Sicily to visit him at a resort, the Journal reported, citing documents.

The report said Musk personally contacted the woman in 2017 to discuss a role on his executive staff.

The woman went on to work at SpaceX until 2019, leaving the company after an executive she reported to was included in a layoff, she told the Journal through her lawyers.

In affidavits provided to the outlet by the woman's lawyers, she said she had no "romantic relationship" with Musk during her employment at SpaceX from 2017 to 2019.

"Nothing that Elon Musk did towards me during either of my periods of employment at SpaceX was predatory or wrongful in any way," the woman said.

The woman's lawyers also represented Musk. The affidavits said she had previously had a romantic relationship with the SpaceX CEO.

People familiar with the matter and friends of the woman told the outlet she visited Musk at his home multiple times during her employment at SpaceX.

The woman was not named by the Journal. The newspaper said lawyers representing both her and Musk sent legal letters demanding her removal from the article. She also was said to have advised friends not to talk to reporters.

Representatives for Musk and SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment, made outside normal working hours. Business Insider was unable to contact the woman for comment.

SpaceX has been under scrutiny in recent years amid reports of sexual harassment at the company.

Earlier this year, seven former SpaceX employees claimed executives discriminated against women and joked about sexual harassment. They detailed the accusations in California civil-rights complaints.

Musk has also faced personal accusations of sexual misconduct. In May 2022, BI reported that SpaceX paid a former flight attendant $250,000 in 2018 after she accused Musk of sexually harassing her.

Musk denied the claims and claimed the story was false.

• A bird strike delayed an easyJet flight, preventing Swifties from attending the Eras Tour.
• The flight from Belfast to Edinburgh was delayed by seven hours due to safety checks.
• Kathryn Gallagher worked two jobs to afford the trip but missed the show despite her efforts.

A Taylor Swift fan from Northern Ireland said she and her fellow Swifties were prevented from attending the Eras Tour after a bird flew into their plane.

Kathryn Gallagher, 25, planned to fly from her hometown of Antrim, Belfast, to Edinburgh on Sunday for the third and final night of Swift's Scotland shows.

Gallagher told Business Insider that she originally planned to attend the show with a friend who lives in the Scottish capital. But she said she had to miss it after her easyJet flight was delayed by around seven hours.

"When I spoke to people in the airport, most people were on that flight to go specifically to the Eras Tour," Gallagher said in a video on TikTok.

Gallagher said staff explained that safety checks were required to ensure the plane would be able to fly.

The Federal Aviation Administration reports that the number of wildlife that striking aircraft is increasing. In 2023, the agency recorded around 19,400 strikes at 713 US airports.

Bird strikes can cause aircraft damage, delays, and cancellations, all of which can cost US airlines around $1.2 billion each year, BI previously reported.

Speaking to BI, Gallagher estimated that at least 100 other people waiting to board the flight had also planned to see the concert. (BI could not verify this number).

According to Gallagher, the 55-minute easyJet flight was originally due to take off from Belfast at 12:45 p.m., but it didn't leave the airport until 8 p.m. Swift took the stage at around 7:15 p.m., and the show ended just after 10:15 p.m.

After waiting for more than six hours, Gallagher gave her ticket away and returned home at 6 p.m.

Gallagher said she worked 2 jobs to be able to afford the Eras Tour

Gallagher said she spent an estimated £400, or around $510, on her round-trip flight, the concert ticket, and outfit: A purple dress embroidered with butterfly pins, inspired by Swift's "Speak Now" album.

The 25-year-old said she had been able to afford the trip by working two jobs. During the week, Gallagher works full-time as a sales consultant; at the weekend, she works at a bar.

"With the cost of living and stuff at the minute, one salary really isn't enough to enjoy the little luxuries you might've enjoyed a couple of years ago," she said.

A previous BI report showed that some fans in the US spent up to $20,000 on Eras Tour expenses in 2023. According to a Forbes estimate, the show grossed around $1.04 billion from the first 60 shows in 2023.

Gallagher said easyJet informed her that she wouldn't be eligible for compensation because "it was out of their control that a bird hit the plane."

"We are very sorry that flight EZY326 from Belfast to Edinburgh yesterday was delayed," an easyJet spokesperson said in a statement to BI on Monday.

"This was due to a bird strike on the aircraft's previous flight which meant the scheduled plane was unable to operate and so we flew an alternative aircraft in from Luton to operate the flight later in the day," they said.

"While this was outside of our control, we did all possible to minimise the disruption for customers and provided refreshment vouchers.

" We understand the disappointment this will have caused to customers and we always advise customers to have travel insurance in place to cover unforeseen issues. The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is easyJet's highest priority," the statement concluded.

• Starbucks has launched two breakfast combo deals, pairing a coffee or tea with a croissant or breakfast sandwich.
• Only a limited range of drinks appear to be included, but you can pay extra to customize them.
• Bundling has long been standard practice in fast-food, but it's a surprise move for Starbucks.

In an unusual move for the coffee giant, Starbucks is getting into bundling by offering new $5 and $6 deals.

The chain launched the two combo deals on Tuesday under what it calls its "pairings menu."

Customers can get a 12-ounce iced or hot coffee or tea paired with a butter croissant from $5, or with a breakfast sandwich from $6.

Starbucks' US sales have been slumping

Bundling has long been standard practice in the fast-food industry — think of all the burger chains that let you make your order a meal by adding fries and a drink for a couple of extra dollars — but it's a surprise move for Starbucks. In its marketing, the coffee chain has tended to focus on the quality and range of its products rather than pricing.

David Henkes, senior principal at foodservice research company Technomic, told CNN that Starbucks had "in many ways been a symbol of affordable indulgence" and the company seemingly now felt that "their affordability has softened to the degree that they need to use deals to drive traffic."

Starbucks posted poor earnings earlier this year. In the first three months of 2024, Starbucks' comparable US sales declined 3% year-over-year, with a 7% drop in the number of comparable transactions. CEO Laxman Narasimhan called the results "disappointing."

"We continue to feel the impact of a more cautious consumer," Narasimhan told investors at the company's latest earnings call, adding that some customers had been saving money by eating more at home.

It's not just Starbucks. Other restaurant executives have echoed Narasimhan's comments, saying that diners are cutting back. Some fast-food chains have introduced new offers and vowed to stop hiking prices to win back customers.

It's easy for the price of Starbucks' combo deals to rack up

Starbucks has six items in its breakfast sandwich range. Choosing the double-smoked bacon, cheddar, and egg sandwich and the Impossible breakfast sandwich puts the bundle's price up by $1 to $7.

Starbucks' prices vary considerably by location. At a Starbucks in Manhattan, ordering a butter croissant costs $4.45, while two of the breakfast sandwiches cost $5.45, and four cost $6.45.

If you're in the mood for a croissant or sandwich and a drink, the combo can save you considerable money.

But if you want to customize your drink then the prices start to rack up. When Business Insider added sauce and cold foam to a tall Starbucks Iced Coffee Blend, the price of the croissant and coffee deal went up from $5 to $7.45 at the Manhattan location.

You can also upgrade the size of your drink for an extra charge, though it appears you get less of a discount overall. Upgrading a tall Iced Coffee Blend with no modifications to the 24-ounce venti version brings the croissant deal to $6, an increase of $1, despite a venti Iced Coffee Blend only costing $0.50 more than a tall.

Other drinks included in the deal include some hot coffees, like Starbucks' Decaf Pike Place Roast and Veranda Blend Clover Vertica, hot teas, like its Royal English Breakfast tea, and iced teas, like its iced black tea.

A number of drinks didn't appear to be eligible when ordering for collection via Starbucks' website, including cappuccinos, Americanos, cold brew, tea lattes, and some of its iced green tea.

Starbucks notes that the two combos are only limited-time offers, although it doesn't say how long the promotions will last. CNN reported that the offer is available all day.

Is fast food too expensive? Email this reporter at gdean@insider.com.