imverge

You weren't kidding "a new gate louse low"... Tim Bits... really?

ffsim

Maybe you missed the "He said he is former elite" part of the OP.

I've always wondered about this. Personally, I've never seen any GA or SD or FA get a gift from a pax. I've never done it myself. I think it's a nice gesture, of course, but I don't typically reward people who are just doing their jobs with gifts. My dentist, financial advisor, mechanic, etc are all people I love dealing with, but I've never given them any gifts. Their excellent service is rewarded by my continued business and my generally cheerful demeanour

For those gift-givers among us: does it actually help you? Are these gift-receivers more likely to go out of their way for you? Get you that upgrade? Bend the rules for you? I'm genuinely curious. I'd go from being a non-louse to a louse if it helped!

YQMer

Still happens at random times. I've done it a few times as have a number of others...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...k-v-2-0-a.html

Badenoch

I don't blame the GA either. I've seen similar behavior too with threats to have the GA fired if the passenger wasn't given special treatment. More than once I've given my business card to GAs and FAs with a request to have their superiors call me if the person who threaten them actually filed a complaint.

danapop

I buy timbits pretty regularly. It had nothing to do with trying to get an upgrade cleared. Jesus - so much flack here for what I thought was a nice jesture. I guess being a self entitled elite a-hole is better. My mistake.

YQMer

I think those that would think this is a bad thing would definitely be in the minority. Its a great gesture in my opinion, and I have--on several occasions done this particularly because GAs and FAs routinely (more than we see I'm sure) deal with DYKWIAs and DYKWIUTBs--getting a gift every once and a while hopefully balances things out.

Crampedin13A

If 15 passengers on the flight all buy the GA TimBits who gets the upgrade? Nice gesture perhaps but still looks like a small way of tilting things in your favour to other people.

mtp1980_fly

Sorry to hi-jack the thread.....but I feel it's time I confess. I am a self admitted "gate louse"....I don't fly enough to earn status, but I'm also not waiting for unorganized old ladies or family with 10 carry-ons. I'm efficient, rarely even use the overhead, and just want to get to my seat. I generally wait for the "rows A-B" announcement, let 10-12 people line up, then I jump in regardless of row. You likely all hate me, but I don't really affect priority boarding!
Also, OP.....that guy sounded like a serious knob. I'm the type of person that would have made a comment to DYKWIUTB, although with people like that, logic or common sense won't penetrate.

mlbmlb

By backing down, the GA not only reinforced louse's behavior, all the others who witnessed it were given a lesson in how to get what you want.

YQMer

15 boxes of TimBits? I'm sure this kind of thing won't go "viral" and incidents of tokens of appreciation like this are far outnumbered by dissrespectful and self-entitled acts these people encounter every day.

The mystery algorithim will continue to determine who gets the u/g I'm sure.

Crampedin13A

I'm kind of surprised that the GA's are allowed to accept gifts from passengers to be honest.

danapop

Like I said - it had nothing to do with upgrades. Take it for what it is. And if you think the GA have any call about who gets the upgrade first or you think that timbits are going to "tip the scales" in your favour, you are seriously delusional.

Are we all that jaded on here that a nice jesture has to have an alterior motive?

Crampedin13A

Perhaps but people sitting around the gate watching as somebody gifts the GA TimBits and that passenger's upgrade clears and theirs doesn't is bad optics. Only a small minority know how upgrades work and perhaps this gives out the wrong message.

YQMer

To put this in perspective, this is a relatively small gesture, and--in my experience--most conflict of interest codes (if that's the concern here) that companies have allow for such things. The important thing is to ensure that gifts aren't so significant to potentially compromise the employees integrity, and it's reasonable to assume employees have a certain measure of integrity to begin with and wouldn't let a $5 gift get in the way of their employer's principles or any other rules that may impact their employment. IMHO (and in my experience)

YQMer

The highly suspicious ones would, perhaps, yes. But should we all govern ourselves to accommodate those views. I think not, since if one is apt to think that this kind of gift would impair a GAs objectivity, then surely a nice smile or a flirty approach may as well. Where does it end?