Originally Posted by
brocklee9000
Could be the same reason some FAs freak out when you show them a PDF of a HOOU. I've been able to use electronic ones many times, but two weeks ago, I showed a FA my PDF HOOU and she got wide-eyed, huffed and puffed, and looked at me like I had just asked her to kill someone. She then proceeded to hold up the Y beverage service by spending 5 minutes pointing and hollering and calling over another FA and showing me her fancy little card-reader device and putting on this big show about how they can't scan electronic HOOU coupons and how "there's no way I could know if you had already used it on another flight; I mean, it's not like I'm
accusing you of doing that or anything. But theoretically, what's to stop you?" I tried to just wave her off when she first declined to honor it and was in the process of putting my earphones back in when she went off on this tirade. To quote the OP, who quoted the agent, "I guess we just don't have the technology."
In that sort of situation I just smile and say "ok, [insert FA name]" and after landing ask them to accompany me out to the gate and page a redcoat. I did this once on DCA-ATL when the flight attendant in F went on a power trip and insisted we all had to put our seats up and turn off electronic devices at initial descent. That is not required until the aircraft has descended through 10,000 ft. Always comply in the air since you technically have to follow that "obey all crew member instructions" rule. It's much better to take care of it on the ground.