On a Delta flight to Las Vegas, passenger Jonathan Price filmed himself boarding and offering gifts to the crew. He was handing out cash and candy – he’s holding multiple $100 bills fanned out together with Ghirardelli cCaramel chocolate bars. It looks like six sets, matching four flight attendants and two pilots.
The crew reacts, That is so sweet… thank you…” while someone remarks it’s “chocolates and cheese” (cheese isn’t obvious in the video). Over the aircraft’s PA, the pilot says the landing was dedicated to the Price family, and wishes them luck in Vegas.
During deplaning, the video shows a pilot at the cockpit door and includes the caption:
Captain dedicated the best landing ever to me & my family ❤️
Be nice to your crew this holiday season!!
byu/Snooopineapple indelta
The filmer asks the pilots: “Do you have any trading cards?” and he gets some.
Overwhelmingly, commenters online hate the filming, not the act of being kind.
- “This is gross/cringe because it’s performative.” Most of the top comments are variations on “the second you film it, it’s not nice anymore,” “bragging,” “social media was a mistake,” etc.
- “Possible quid-pro-quo / buying favors.” A few people interpret the cash/gifts as effectively trying to purchase better treatment (free drinks/snacks, etc.).
- Policy/ethics questions. Some ask whether Delta allows accepting gifts. Cash and gift cards are generally problematic. I’d add that “candlesticks always make a nice gift”.
- Although a few suggest that “Even if it’s cringe, the crew benefits,” and “I’d rather people film being nice than not be nice.”
Airlines don’t generally allow employees to accept tips. It creates bad incentives. Even if nobody asked for perks, cash looks like you’re trying to purchase discretion, freebies, or attention. If you want a trading card, just ask for a trading card—don’t stack incentives.
They’re in a service role and the correct way to engage and appreciate is to be nice. You can submit a compliment through airline contact procedures, which is a stronger signal than a box of chocolates without ethics problems or putting the crew at risk.
People in general have miserable lives and thus have to crap on anything others do.
Crap thing is i am pretty sure their policy is cant accept anything above xxx in value and 100 dollars is way over that amount. He literally could get the crew members fired by posted it.
See: Snyder v. United States, 603 US 1 (2024). Bribery is legal, just call it ‘lobbying’ or a ‘gratuity.’ However, the court of public opinion has no rules. It’s the Thunderdome. Always has been.
Anytime someone records themself engaged in what is supposed to be an act of kindness and generosity and then lists it in social media, I always wonder what their motivation is.
Yes, I’m a (healthy) skeptic, but one has to wonder, are you doing it because it’s a kind thing to do, or are you doing it for attention, notoriety and branding?
Regardless, I’m sure the crew appreciated the gesture. If it made them feel valued, I guess that’s what really matters.