Gifts for FAs?
Nov 1, 2017, 11:37 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
Nov 1, 2017, 11:44 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Programs: BA Silver - hard drop from GGL :( SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, AC E50k
Posts: 567
I guess “culture” is the big thing here... I am (being a Canadian) a fairly generous tipper compared to the Brits, on average. I tip at the end of the meal when presented with the cheque, and always ask if the staff gets to keep the tip if added on credit card, or if restaurant skims on top, in case I will tip in cash...
Had the most interesting experience from a cultural perspective on my last trip to Beirut a month ago... went out with some locals, and as we entered the restaurant, the local seemed out the maitre d’, proceeded to give him some cash. He then tipped the waiter again at during the middle of the meal, and tipped again at the end... when I asked hi, about why tipping that much, he said that rather than loading 100% tip on the end, he did 50/25/25, and it worked really well... best service I have ever experienced. Cultural differences I guess...
Had the most interesting experience from a cultural perspective on my last trip to Beirut a month ago... went out with some locals, and as we entered the restaurant, the local seemed out the maitre d’, proceeded to give him some cash. He then tipped the waiter again at during the middle of the meal, and tipped again at the end... when I asked hi, about why tipping that much, he said that rather than loading 100% tip on the end, he did 50/25/25, and it worked really well... best service I have ever experienced. Cultural differences I guess...
Nov 1, 2017, 11:54 am
#18
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,271
The only "gifting" I used to do was on trips to Asia. On the return leg, I would "buy" from a porter one of the small/medium flower displays in the hotel, normally leaving the hotel late in the evening for one of the 11.00 pm flights, for a sum of a couple of UKP equivalent, carry it in the car/taxi to the airport, and present it to whoever checked me in.
I described this to colleagues who thought it was a great idea - who gives stuff to the check-in folk? No-one. A couple of times it enabled colleagues to get in to J when they were waitlisted for J. I never saw it as bribery, and as far as I can tell, the recipients enjoyed it. It caused me to smile, and the check in staff smiled aswell. They probably thought I was mad. Doing the travel I used to do, I probably was mad.
I described this to colleagues who thought it was a great idea - who gives stuff to the check-in folk? No-one. A couple of times it enabled colleagues to get in to J when they were waitlisted for J. I never saw it as bribery, and as far as I can tell, the recipients enjoyed it. It caused me to smile, and the check in staff smiled aswell. They probably thought I was mad. Doing the travel I used to do, I probably was mad.
Nov 1, 2017, 12:19 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1
As an exFA, I think it is generally a nice gesture. When I travel on longer flights I generally bring a gift of chocolates for the crew and provide it to the purser at the beginning of the flight. The crew appreciates the token and can enjoy during the flight.
Nov 1, 2017, 12:27 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Staffordshire UK
Programs: FB LT Plat, BA LTG, LH HON
Posts: 273
Nov 1, 2017, 12:32 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,286
Flying on boxing day a couple of years back we brought some mince pies on board and gave them to the crew. We had no expectation of better service as we were in F anyway. It just seemed like a nice thing to do with some tasty treats (that otherwise wouldn't be eaten) for those working on boxing day.
At any other time of the year, I wouldn't do it.
At any other time of the year, I wouldn't do it.
Nov 1, 2017, 12:39 pm
#23
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,032
Nov 1, 2017, 1:07 pm
#26
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,595
Have done this a couple of times in the past.
2/3 bags of fun size bars of chocolate when flying long haul outbound from Lomdon or on long short haul routes (where I know the crew are doing a return back to London). My "thing" is to wait until after the meal service in order to determine the tone of the service and crew serving me. If its all good then I'll usually take them to the galley as a "thankyou" for the great service. If the service isn't up to anything resembling half way decent, they remain in my carry on for my own consumption. Whenever I've given in the past, it's always been well received and shared amongst the crew on board. A couple of times the CSD/CM/CSM on long haul have also come by and thanked me later in the flight. It's not designed to be construed as bribery, it's just a token gesture of my appreciation for what they're doing. I'm sure not all crew appreciate BA crew meal offerings and the lack of a half decently stocked Club kitchen that is probably off bounds to most I'd have thought.
2/3 bags of fun size bars of chocolate when flying long haul outbound from Lomdon or on long short haul routes (where I know the crew are doing a return back to London). My "thing" is to wait until after the meal service in order to determine the tone of the service and crew serving me. If its all good then I'll usually take them to the galley as a "thankyou" for the great service. If the service isn't up to anything resembling half way decent, they remain in my carry on for my own consumption. Whenever I've given in the past, it's always been well received and shared amongst the crew on board. A couple of times the CSD/CM/CSM on long haul have also come by and thanked me later in the flight. It's not designed to be construed as bribery, it's just a token gesture of my appreciation for what they're doing. I'm sure not all crew appreciate BA crew meal offerings and the lack of a half decently stocked Club kitchen that is probably off bounds to most I'd have thought.
Nov 1, 2017, 1:33 pm
#28
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 151
My daughter made some origami animals for the crew "to brighten up the galley". She was 5 and they seemed genuinely touched. They returned later with a paper plane they'd made, coloured in full Ba colours, signed by our crew members and the flight deck crew!
Nov 1, 2017, 1:49 pm
#29
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,800
Let me welcome you to Flyertalk and to the BA forum thedmgroup, it's really good of you to join us and I very much hope we will see more of you. All newcomers are welcome, but current and former cabin crew can often bring particular and interesting perspective. Welcome on board.