Please explain just how buying a service member a beverage equates with support of "USA's politics" or or giving the "US military" a pass on its performance?

Buying a service member a drink merely shows the company's appreciation for the sacrifices a service member makes by simply choosing to serve.

How on earth is that distasteful?

One can certainly support our troops without supporting the polices of our government. I'd wager that a good number of those how serve don't support all of the polices of our government. You'd kind of hope that a thinking person will always have certain reservations about their government; our form of government gives us that right, duty and privilege.

What is distasteful is equating choosing to serve with some sort of lock step agreement of the politics of one's country. That's the kind of thinking that got folks returning from Vietnam spat upon.

I am very proud that CO made a very small gesture to support those who support all of us, even those who find that support distasteful.

Now that's the type of inflight service I think we could all support ^

Should firefighters, policeman, and skyscraper window-washers also get free drinks on CO? All of these jobs are those in which folks put their lives on the line each day.

Just be thankful CO staff don't go the extreme of some of Delta's ATL agents who knowingly bump military personnel into F, often at the expense of Elites and sometimes even bumping paid F back to Y and then using public 'guilt' to berate the unhappy passenger in front of other customers to make them accept their fate.

I agree with the other posters - there are a host of professionals who risk their lives or use special skills to save others. I appreciate the sacrifice and hard work of ALL these people, but I do not support singling out one group over another for special treatment.

How doesn't it? It shows preferential treatment for a certain class of passengers that represent the USA.

Would CO give free drinks to a French soldier?

What if I'm Serbian? These are the same servicemen and women that bombed my hometown of Belgrade. If I'm a Serb I'm conceivably giving my money to CO to get me from A to B, not to serve me propaganda about how great USA's militarymen and women are.


It doesn't matter. It's not CO's place to be privileging a certain class of passengers.


And I'm happy that we can discuss this in a calm and rational way. I just simply disagree.

And don't get me wrong, I like the troops just as much as the next guy. I just don't feel like CO should be performing this particular act.

As do police officers, fire fighters, and various other professions.


I'm sure some did. Just as some enlist for the money, benefits, or other perks. Everyone has his or her own motives.

Agreed. This is irritating and has happened to me on a UA flight before.

Bravo to my company for doing this. We do this all the time for Elites or anyone else we give drink vouchers to. I am sure you can find many posts about how Elites have gotten their wallet candy but zero drinks chits and have complained mightly about it.

For those men and women that put on the uniform of the US service, I salute you for keeping me free and protecting my country.

Is CO a French carrier? I'd certainly expect Air France to give free drinks French soldiers.

The bombing of Belgrade was a NATO operation. I don't recall CO being part of that particular alliance,


It's certainly their place. They do it every day with Elite passengers. Why, because it's good for business. If they think buying drink for US servicemen and woman is also good for business, then that's what they need to do to provide value for their stockholders.

If the stockholders don't agree, then they have a forum to address those issues.

As a US flagged carrier, they certainly should be performing this particular act. As a vendor for the US, they should certainly be performing this particular act. As a public business that operates in the US, they should be performing an act that is good for the bottom line.

Believe me, I would've supported it too if I didn't have to be somewhere for business. I've been kicking myself for that one ever since (the sad look on her face haunts me in my sleep, ha ha).

To those who point out incidents where GA's upgraded military at the expense of elites/paid F, that is extremely jacked up and I hope that the GA's in question would've been called out on it. Heck, I would've hemmed them up if I'd have seen it. This bit with a few beers is a different scenario, though, that doesn't impact a defined FF benefit, but rather buys alot of goodwill/potential future business at relatively little expense to CO.

But wait a second, I thought you said this wasn't about politics. What difference does it make if CO is a USA carrier? Why shouldn't CO op-up French soldiers if this isn't political?

NATO = US

CO = US Carrier

Announcement = Political Endorsement


And I think it is bad for business. I think it alienates 1) customers who are waiting for upgrades and 2) those who don't subscribe to the US political view about the use of force.

Shrug. I think it's tacky and political.

France is a U.S. ally, so why shouldn't CO give free drinks to a French soldier as well, esepcially since they work together in international missions.

As for AF, AF gives free drinks to everybody.


CO may be registered in the U.S., but they are a global company that does business in various countries, transporting citizens of various countries. This very act that might make some Americans think positively about them may also annoy non-Americans (and some Americans) on the same plane, and drive that business elsewhere.

It's debatable as to whether it's good for the bottom line.

I don't think we know if CO paid for the drinks, if the pilots (who were perhaps ex-military) paid for the drinks, or if a pax or several pax paid for the drinks. Whatever it was, it was a nice gesture.

so the truth comes out. you're just mad that someone is getting special treatment over you, like you have some entitlement due to the amount of miles you fly.

not saying i agree with what DL or UA has done.

I think CO could have given the drinks, but I think the public announcement was maybe a bit much.

I also don't see how it has anything to do with politics. My inlaws are all democrats, but always are appreciative and supportive of soldiers. Apples to oranges.