There are some really fragile egos out there, but that’s not always why some people may respond like that.
Originally Posted by
WeekendTraveler
My wife recently ran into a neighborhood acquaintance on a flight. My wife was in first class and the acquaintance was in coach.
When drinks were served, my wife flagged down the coach flight attendant and said, “please give the passenger in Seat __ whatever she wants and here’s my credit card.” (The credit card issuer reimburses up to $X in airline incidental expenses and we never use that benefit so it cost us nothing.)
When the flight landed, my wife ran into the acquaintance and the acquaintance said, “you didn’t have to show off by sending crumbs to the beggar in coach”.
So apparently sending a drink to a passenger in coach is entitled/pretentious/whatever?
What was the wife’s and your response to the comment? A friendly explanation should ordinarily work with people who even may respond like that acquaintance did.
When I am to give my hotel amenity credits to cover some or all of the food/drink bill of someone with whom I have been chatting but who isn’t a close enough acquaintance for me to know their general disposition, I try to explain upfront that I have an unused credit/coupon that expires if not used so would they let me use the credits/coupons before the credits go to waste. If the acquaintances understand what is being said, then it works out and the chances of it leading to friction drop. Amusingly, I’ve also had some offer to pay me cash to use the credits, and then I have to re-explain that the hotel/bank/whatever is paying so they don’t need to worry about reimbursing me since it’s not coming out of anyone’s pocket but the hotel/bank/whatever.