Annalisa12

ashamed? Why.

davetravels

I don't think it's meant to be a "REWARD". While everything you say is true, it's SIMPLY a nice gesture to give somebody a small token of appreciation while they can't be with their families on a big holiday! What's so hard to understand about that?

wxman22

What about the others that work that day? From TSA to Dispatchers and everyone in between?

I like the thought, but think a sincere "Merry Christmas and thank you for working today" would also be just as appreciated to everyone you encounter.

Pianoman109876

This has turned into the most “but ALL lives matter!” thread...

bottom line, just looking to make a nice gesture to some of the most often under appreciated folks out there during a super hectic time of year. I’m sorry if you think that’s wrong.

i wasn’t primarily asking IF I should do this, but rather HOW to go about it (i.e. what to get, how to give out). If anyone has suggestions on that end or if they’ve seen it done, I’d be happy to hear it. You’re right. I simply cannot give to everyone. But if I can make a few people’s day a little brighter, so be it.

Pianoman109876

Jeannietx

I think it's a nice gesture.

KBMIFlyer

Ignore the posters on here, the flight attendants will appreciate the gesture and I think it is a great idea. My mom did the same thing a couple of years ago flying from PNS-RNO on AA and still talks about how great it was.

Maybe include a couple more for the check in agents or gate agents. She said the gate agents were very surprised to receive something.

mattya9

I've done this the past couple years when traveling around the holidays and I plan to do the same this year. I too have $5 Starbucks gift cards that I hand out to the crew members. What I've done in the past is find the lead flight attendant and give him/her enough to hand out to their crew. As for the pilots, I always ask the lead flight attendant if it's alright if I may go to the flight deck real quick to deliver them personally (I'm an airplane nerd and any time I get to be in the cockpit is cool to me. Plus my dad was a commercial airline pilot so I know what they're going through if they have a family they're away from). The few times I've done this I've never had any issues whatsoever. However, if it's a little too chaotic during the boarding process (which we all know happens more often than not) I would recommend catching one of the flight attendants during a slower time for them in flight. And as a last resort, if you can't do it during the flight, hand them to one of the FA's/lead FA as you're getting off the aircraft. In the end, regardless of when you do it, they will be surprised and very appreciative. Every single crew I've done this for was just that and to the point where each one individually would find me where I was sitting and thank me personally (when handed to the lead FA that is). Enjoy these little moments and happy holidays.

OPS

Pianoman109876

indufan

This is just the life they lead every single day of their career. We haven't even had a really bad weather spell yet.

You can't speak for passengers other than yourself. And when were you happy?

Pianoman109876

Pianoman109876

readywhenyouare

BenA

By and large, chocolates seem to be the currency of the aviation industry - particularly for nonrevs thanking a crew of colleagues. If you have a nicely wrapped box or interesting assortment from your hometown that the purser can open and share with the crew as they work, it will likely be appreciated. (Make sure it’s commercially wrapped, of course.)

I’m sure small gift cards would have the same effect - just keep them small so as to be a token gift rather than anything of reportable value.

hotturnip

Because here is someone who (out of the goodness of his/her heart) is trying to do something nice for his fellow human beings. The reaction from some Flyertalkers is automatically critical, cynical, and scornful.

That's why "ashamed."