From a customer and loyalty perspective this is the „cheapest“ gift for your most frequent flyers. For me it does not matter when they great them, it might on a 30 min flight be even at the end when you leave the aircraft and they give you the famous chocolate. The factor „when time permits“ is an absolute excuse. Imagine you go to your standard bakery every morning and they know you by name but only great you if time permits.

several other airlines even thank their top tier customers as part of the on board announcement at the beginning