hellomarty

Last April I was upgraded to C (Fake UA F) on my way to DEN. I was a klutz and accidentally knocked over OJ on the lady next to me.

I quickly scrambled to get as many napkins to her as possible, alerted the FA and when the worst was over, got up to get my wallet and handed her $20 (while asking if this would cover her dry cleaning bill and apologizing).

Was this too much? or just appropriate? or not enough?

QueenOfCoach

You did good.

Emeraldcity

That was awfully nice of you!

hellomarty

well, it was the first flight out and she was dressed like she was headed to a meeting, so I felt AWFUL!!! I was going to Aspen!

Side note, I felt like the FA could have been more helpful. I guess we were still boarding so I forgive them?

acunningham

Who else started reading this thread expecting the poster to be in seat 9B on a WN flight from PDX to SMF?

sdtumbleweed

[raises hand] ........ [hand goes down]

hellomarty

I only posted it because I read the post about 9B.

tentseller

Your deeds are gentlemanly and honourable; You can be my wingman on any of my flight anytime.

exbayern

I spilled the remains of a cup of club soda on the passenger next to me once. I felt horrible, even if it happened to be what is normally recommended to remove stains. But I felt so bad because more than once (or twice) someone has spilled on me and/or my seat and/or my handbag and not even acknowledged it.

He was very pleasant about it.

Last week I dribbled water on the leather seat in row 1 on a BA flight. When I asked the FA for some paper towelling to wipe it up, she said 'Don't worry, the jumpseat is broken, so my colleague will be sitting there.' I still wiped it up - a wet seat isn't pleasant for anyone.

Your gesture was very kind, and I think that I would have refused it simply because you were kind enough to acknowledge the situation. (And because accidents do happen)

peachfront

It really seems inappropriate to me. I've spilled stuff, and people have spilled stuff on me. No money changes hands. That's just...creepy. The thing is, a nice person like you or me would not accept the money. Only a [offensive word redacted] would take the money. So you make a mistake that anyone might make, for which a decent person would accept your apology, and you make it profitable for the [offensive word redacted]. I don't like how we're creating a world where it's more profitable to be the [offensive word redacted] than to be the decent person.

I know you were trying to do the right thing but I think once you put $20 in the other person's hands you crossed a line...as did the other person if she accepted the money.

You create a world where the next time somebody spills something, they'd be an idiot to apologize or acknowledge it, because it's gonna cost 'em twenty dollars! Don't do that.

hellomarty

Well, I got OJ on her suit, blazer and pants. She had to sit on a wet seat.

I didn't have a $10 or 2 fives, asking for change from a $20 would have pissed her off more, I think.

leonidas

Hmm....let's see....spilling stuff on women and handing them money afterward. Yep dun that before

pittpanther

Wow. How did this get past the moderator!

Fly2LAX

You are allowed to 'chalk-on' ?

I thought it's standard the money exchange is being completed prior to any spilling or related actions!?

kipper

Me!
I don't see why volunteering to pay for dry cleaning of items damaged due to a drink spill is out of line, or why accepting the money is out of line. From the OP's post, it doesn't sound like the woman was extremely angry, or demanding the OP cover the cost of cleaning. I think volunteering to cover the cost of cleaning is quite nice.

The woman could usually use Dryel or something similar to dry clean her suits at home, but due to the spill, probably would have wanted to have the suit cleaned ASAP at her destination. That way, if nothing else, she could change into something else when she arrived, and have that suit for later in the trip, minimizing the inconvenience.