'Hell No': Why James Charles' Apology Is Rejected by Fired Spirit Airlines Worker He Publicly Called 'Lazy'

James Charles' apology is not something the laid-off Spirit Airlines worker he publicly blasted will take.

Earlier this month, the beauty influencer publicly insulted former Spirit Airlines employee Amber Lendof Vargas over her GoFundMe request following job losses linked to the airline's bankruptcy. In the clip, he told his followers that she's a 'lazy piece of sh*t' for asking for his help, while also being a non-fan.

The clip triggered backlash from viewers and fellow creators who accused him of being harsh and out of touch. Within days, he deleted the original video and issued an apology, but Vargas is not having any of it.

Charles' Rant Blasted

Charles, who has built a large online following across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, reportedly called Vargas 'a lazy piece of shi*t' and 'entitled' in his now-deleted video, after she reached out via DM asking for support with a GoFundMe campaign. She had explained that she was trying to recover financially after losing her job due to the airline's closure.

The reaction online was quick and harsh. His comments were widely described as 'tone deaf' and 'unnecessarily mean,' with many users pointing out the gap between his public platform and the worker's financial situation. As the video spread beyond his own audience, Charles began losing followers rapidly, with reports saying hundreds of thousands unfollowed him within days.

Facing growing criticism, Charles later issued an apology in which he called his own behaviour 'fucking stupid,' and described it as 'rude, obnoxious, privileged, and most importantly, it was completely fucking unnecessary.' He also said part of his frustration came from feeling that strangers sometimes treat him like a 'personal ATM,' especially when they have not supported him before.

Despite the apology, the Spirit Airlines worker at the centre of the situation did not accept it. In a direct and blunt response, she simply said, 'Hell no.'

Inside the Response From Spirit Airlines Worker

Vargas, who addressed the situation through a series of TikTok videos, also revealed that Charles had contacted her privately after the public backlash intensified. In a message she shared, he expressed regret for 'adding to what was already a distressing time' and said he was 'ashamed' of his behaviour. He also confirmed he had donated to her GoFundMe, adding that 'there is no excuse for me yelling at and berating someone for asking for help in a situation that was completely out of your control.'

But Vargas said the private apology did not change her view. She explained that because the criticism had been public, she felt the response should match that level of visibility rather than arrive behind closed messages. Her stance was firm, and she made clear she was not willing to accept it.

She also addressed why she had not responded sooner, citing 'really bad anxiety' and saying she waited until she could monetise her TikTok content before speaking out publicly. Still, she emphasised that she had no intention of pursuing legal action and expressed gratitude for the support she had received online.

Her GoFundMe campaign has raised just over £31,000 (around $40,000) towards a £47,000 (around $60,000) target, with donations coming from members of the public and, according to her, some additional contributions linked to Charles as well.