Mummy blogger’s husband reveals truth behind ‘tone deaf’ NZ travel cancellation video

The husband of popular mummy blogger Britnee Kent, has defended their recent comments in an email to the Herald.

The US influencers were lashed online this week after complaining that their “dream trip” to Aotearoa was cancelled as the country battles with devastating and deadly floods.

Now, the mummy blogger’s husband, Connor Kent, has reached out to the Herald to explain their side of the story, claiming they posted the TikTok video before they knew about the floods.

In the short email, the US influencer explained they were unable to board their January 24 flight as they didn’t add their lap-seated infant to their Air New Zealand booking and had no idea about the devastating floods.

After receiving backlash from the video, Britnee Kent deleted the video. Photo / Instagram/britwkent

Adding, “I’m so sorry your country has severe flooding and is in a state of emergency. I am also sorry that we were bummed our trip was cancelled by me not adding our infant to our flight.

“We posted our Tik tok video a few days after without even realising that there was severe flooding, because our trip was cancelled. So then the public immediately assumed it was because of the flooding why we didn’t arrive.”

He went on to say he and his wife have posted a YouTube video explaining the situation.

The couple came under fire on social media this week when they posted a TikTok video showing Britnee packing away her suitcase after being told she and her family could not fly.

Followers and other users of the social media app quickly flocked to the comment section accusing the couple of being “tone deaf” as New Zealand battles with devastating floods in Auckland and landslips across the Auckland region, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

Since the extreme and unprecedented deluge that struck Auckland on Friday, four people have been tragically killed.

@nadow3ll

#stitch with @Britnee Kent like ppl are 💀 bro, have some basic decency 😭😭😭😭

♬ original sound - nick nadowell

Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said the deaths of four people were “horrific” and the ordeal had been “a traumatic experience”.

“That’s the most horrific part of it, that we’ve lost lives. Clearly alongside every Aucklander and New Zealander we share in our condolences and sadness with that person’s family,” Sepuloni said in a press conference.

Kent was criticised broadly following the upload of her video, which has since been removed from her TikTok account where it originally appeared.

Snippets of the rant have however been uploaded by other accounts.

“I thought it had to be satire, there’s no way that you’re lacking that much self-awareness. I thought it had to be a joke [but] it’s real.”

Viewers agreed Kent’s upload was in horrendously bad taste, with many calling them tone deaf. “How are they literally all so incredibly tone deaf,” one wrote in a comment.

While another added, “The absolute tone-deaf audacity! This fills me with so much protective rage for our cuzzies across the ditch.”