Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,596
I LOVE those things. I received a bunch over the past two years. When a gate agent, phone agent or FA is extra nice, I'll give 'em one and they do get very excited and appreciative.
On long flights, I'll give on to the FA who brings me my 1st drink. This usually guarantees me superior service throughout the flight. (I feel wierd giving it to him/her before they have done ANYTHING). ON a recent trip, I gave on to each of the crew in 1st for their obvious dilligence on a crowded flight. By chance, one of the FAs was working my connecting flight, and she treated me like a king all the way from Chicago to Seattle.
I also sent one to a phone agent once after she was very helpful in making reward travel reservations. About a month later I noticed something VERY, VERY, VERY nice that I can only assume she did for me that I dont want to mention for fear of UAL getting mad at me or her about it...
So while it is supposed to be a "reward" thing and you should not assume quid pro quo, those of us who believe in karma know that what goes around comes around!!!!
BTW, I have no idea what they get for receiving one, and those who I have asked have been circumspect...