Ethical Question: Amenities kits in F/J left behind by psgrs. fair game?
Sep 26, 13, 9:02 am
#31
Join Date: May 2005
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), who is considered the owner of a rejected gift? The first person to see and grab it? What if the question was phrased differently, maybe if the FA said "These kits are provided for your in-flight use" and then kit wasn't used, would it be considered like hotel amenities, which if you don't use them during your stay would be considered to remain the property of the hotel? I'm thinking specifically of single use/user items like cups, shower caps, etc.
Sep 26, 13, 9:21 am
#32
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Per English common law, finder of abandoned property can claim it.
Sep 26, 13, 9:39 am
#33
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Wait, first you refer to US jurisdictions, now English common law?
Please clarify exactly what you mean by "English" here - in England, in the US law based on English from England law, or ?
And exactly where is the line between "abandoned gift" and "amenity for use while receiving services (lodging, transportation)" drawn?
If the airline reuses the unopened kits, does that make a material difference in how the property is viewed? For example, if it simply would go to the trash, it is "abandoned" but if it is collected and reused, then it is the property of the service provider if not used - see hotel analogy above.
Please clarify exactly what you mean by "English" here - in England, in the US law based on English from England law, or ?
And exactly where is the line between "abandoned gift" and "amenity for use while receiving services (lodging, transportation)" drawn?
If the airline reuses the unopened kits, does that make a material difference in how the property is viewed? For example, if it simply would go to the trash, it is "abandoned" but if it is collected and reused, then it is the property of the service provider if not used - see hotel analogy above.
Sep 26, 13, 9:50 am
#34
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Sep 26, 13, 10:31 am
#35
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Leaving the plane - EVA Air in Y from BKK-LHR I spotted two bits of orange card which were the fasttrack immigration cards for J pax.
Knowing what T3 is like at 7.30pm at LHR I had no hesitation in grabbing them. Probably saved me 30 minutes.
Knowing what T3 is like at 7.30pm at LHR I had no hesitation in grabbing them. Probably saved me 30 minutes.
Sep 26, 13, 10:45 am
#36
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Like my first tour of Europe with other college kids. They were "swiping" beer glasses and things from the bars, still full of suds, plenty of guilt, and struggling with "sneaking out" with them. I asked the bartender how I could get one. That particular bartender said those particular glasses were promotionals from the supplier and asked me how many I wanted. He gave me brand new, clean ones, still packaged and wrapped.
If you're surrounded by empty seats, it gets interesting. UA's 787 Y service has sometimes had wrapped decks of cards with UA 787 marketing all over them. I haven't seen airlines give out decks of cards since they were giving out cigarettes.
Sep 26, 13, 11:30 am
#38
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Fair game, although I wouldn't go overboard with it. I would consider the one abandoned by my seatmate as fair game, but canvassing J/F at the end of the flight hoping to score four or five of them as excessive.
I also have no hesitation in taking my unopened hotel amenities with me - we use them for guests at home or give them to charities who collect them - but I wouldn't go into another room to get them. That's just creepy...
I used to keep my plastic cups from sporting events. Still have a stash of mid-1980's Kansas City Royals cups that we use for the kinds of parties where we'd otherwise use solo cups. People like them (perhaps because they invoke memories of *good* Royals teams!) and they reduce waste since we reuse them.
I also have no hesitation in taking my unopened hotel amenities with me - we use them for guests at home or give them to charities who collect them - but I wouldn't go into another room to get them. That's just creepy...
I used to keep my plastic cups from sporting events. Still have a stash of mid-1980's Kansas City Royals cups that we use for the kinds of parties where we'd otherwise use solo cups. People like them (perhaps because they invoke memories of *good* Royals teams!) and they reduce waste since we reuse them.
Sep 26, 13, 3:39 pm
#39
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Eh, I'd go with describing it as "uncouth." Then again, as with my one time "swiping" an extra amenity kit (which my seatmate left unused), I might do so if it were somehow special, like those Rimowa kits or that lebkuchen-filled stocking kit.
Sep 26, 13, 8:13 pm
#42
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Fair game, although I wouldn't go overboard with it. I would consider the one abandoned by my seatmate as fair game, but canvassing J/F at the end of the flight hoping to score four or five of them as excessive.
I also have no hesitation in taking my unopened hotel amenities with me - we use them for guests at home or give them to charities who collect them - but I wouldn't go into another room to get them. That's just creepy...
I used to keep my plastic cups from sporting events. Still have a stash of mid-1980's Kansas City Royals cups that we use for the kinds of parties where we'd otherwise use solo cups. People like them (perhaps because they invoke memories of *good* Royals teams!) and they reduce waste since we reuse them.
I also have no hesitation in taking my unopened hotel amenities with me - we use them for guests at home or give them to charities who collect them - but I wouldn't go into another room to get them. That's just creepy...
I used to keep my plastic cups from sporting events. Still have a stash of mid-1980's Kansas City Royals cups that we use for the kinds of parties where we'd otherwise use solo cups. People like them (perhaps because they invoke memories of *good* Royals teams!) and they reduce waste since we reuse them.
Sep 26, 13, 9:29 pm
#43
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That's a stupid question - people will take it because they can use it or give it to someone who can. Obviously, the original owner didn't need it. I have done this a few times. Bags I've given away to relatives to use for makeup. The contents I've used. The way I see it it's abandoned property, so it's a fair game. Once the FA hands it to the passenger, it becomes theirs. If it's left behind, the cleaning crew will most likely have to pick it up and whether it's reused afterwards or not is probably decided based on airline's policy. I wouldn't take a chance that it will get trashed and grab one on my way out if I can. I don't walk around the premium cabins and collect these - I check if there are any wrapped ones on either side of the aisle I use to deplane and grab one and only one. So, maybe it's frowned upon or "dishonorable" as some claim but I definitely don't see anything wrong with it. And it's definitely not the same as grabbing stuff from the maid's cart at hotels for 1 simple reason - the stuff on the cart is not designated for a specific room/person and is hotel's property - same as the amenity kits that are yet to be distributed to the passengers on board. Once the items are in possession of the guest/traveler they are theirs to use as they see fit or in some cases leave behind.
On a lighter note, I'm sure that if you wanted to take one amenity kit as a souvenir for your kid, and asked a crew member if it was OK to take it, they would probably say yes. But to help yourself to unsecured passenger or airline property that you feel you are entitled is stealing.
Sep 26, 13, 11:38 pm
#44
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If you want an amenity kit, book a first or business class ticket and you can take it with you, if you feel the need for it. Otherwise, it is not yours to take, and if you take it without permission of the crew, you are a thief. Every thief has many reasons why they feel entitled to something that doesn't belong to them, and most mirror your excuses. I'm sure each airline has their own policy regarding reusing unopened kits, but I'd venture to guess that airlines will reuse unopened ones to cut costs. If they felt that all coach passengers should have them, they would have given you one. Its hardly abandoned property and in any case it isn't yours to take. Do you also grab all of the in flight magazines and safety information cards out of every seat pocket you pass on the way up? After all, those were also abandoned by the previous occupants.
On a lighter note, I'm sure that if you wanted to take one amenity kit as a souvenir for your kid, and asked a crew member if it was OK to take it, they would probably say yes. But to help yourself to unsecured passenger or airline property that you feel you are entitled is stealing.
On a lighter note, I'm sure that if you wanted to take one amenity kit as a souvenir for your kid, and asked a crew member if it was OK to take it, they would probably say yes. But to help yourself to unsecured passenger or airline property that you feel you are entitled is stealing.
I think I once grabbed an amenity kit to poach a tube of toothpaste, only because I forgot about taking it out of the carry-on, and I wanted to go directly to the hotel.
