Flight attendants are getting busted for accepting gifts from passengers – after passengers have been inspired to bribe their crew by a viral TikTok trend.
Here’s one video talking about giving gifts to flight attendants for perks. He scores extra space and snacks. Of course, they’re snacks that belong to the airline and you can’t just move into any empty seat you wish anymore, like when I was younger, since airlines now upcharge for the better seats. It’s seen as stealing from their employer.
A flight attendant shares that a fellow crewmember at one of the major U.S. carriers has been suspended and is under investigation for accepting a bribe after another passenger complained.
I work for a US based carrier. It’s a big one. One of my best friends and coworkers is currently under investigation for accepting “bribes”.
I guess every pax now knows about the “viral tik tok trend” of passengers giving crew members gifts. I’m not going to go into too too much detail cause it’s still an active investigation but she has been pulled off the line and they are investigating the situation. Why? Another passenger complained about another passenger getting better treatment.
The flight attendant goes on to say, “I guess my friend thanked the pax and was like “let me know if you need anything”” but then later acknowledged it may have involved giving out extra free drinks.
Some people like to give out chocolates to their flight crew, or to agents in the airline lounge. Others prefer to hand out small Starbucks gift cards. This isn’t expected.
Most airlines don’t permit flight attendants to accept tips, and flight attendants themselves have mixed feelings on the subject – some are in favor because they want more money (although a tipping norm may ultimately lead to lower salaries), while others worry the emphasis would then shift from safety to service.
At American Airlines, airport customer service employees are allowed to accept “promotional items, complimentary tickets or perishable gifts (candy, fruit, etc)” that’s worth no more than $100. American tells employees to “share[..] with colleagues when practical.” However gifts worth over $100 must be returned. Employees are not allowed to accept “cash, gift cards, and gift certificates” regardless of amount. So no Starbucks gift cards.
At several airlines, customer tips, credit card signups, and duty free or meal purchases affect cabin crew compensation.
- Flight attendants at Frontier Airlines went viral before the pandemic because the airline had a policy of supplementing cabin crew wages with customer tips.
- On many airlines flight attendants earn a commission on credit cards passengers sign up for. If you want to ‘tip’ cabin crew, maybe the best way to do it is apply for a credit card using their referral code.
- At Ryanair they have an inflight sales quota, the opposite of a tip or commission, they’re disciplined if they’re not closing sales. On Ryanair, buy stuff from your crew.
Your airline also may give you employee recognition certificates, if you have status with them, and those can entitle them to entries in a drawing for big prizes or other benefits.
Of course I find the best way to get ‘special treatment’ is to just be nice, and if you don’t get what you want or need to just ask someone else (“hang up, call back“).
(HT: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)
In Snyder v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal bribery statute (18 U.S.C. § 666) does not criminalize ‘gratuities,’ so as long as you call it a ‘tip,’ it ain’t a bribe! *sigh*
Also, those AI thumbnails sure do ‘enhance’ Gary’s website. Like, well done, sir. Keep ’em coming!
I guess airline policy is more at play than federal bribery statutes. However, a suspension seems a little strong.
I give 4-5 $15 Starbucks gift cards on each long-haul flight I take with American Airlines and have done so for about five years. I’ve never had a flight attendant refuse it. They are given discretely and prior to the provision of any service.
Give me a break. Anyone can accept a $400M “gift” and still be POTUS.
Ironically, the airline in question has donated millions to the same person
Snitches are scum…..
I often get something for the entire flight crew. I try to avoid the typical chocolates and such. I like to get things that are wrapped individually so they can split it up between themselves if they don’t finish it. I don’t expect anything in return but once in a while I have been given things free when I try to order. A JAL flight attendant gave me a little model plane once.
I don’t expect to get anything. I even give this on my international flights when all the alcohol and food are included. I just want the flight crew to know that I appreciate them. I’ve been known to buy two of it so I have something to give my flight crew on the way back without searching for something while on vacation.
I give my flight crew a gift of chocolates. I get a fairly large box that has each chocolate individually wrapped. I also give them a thank you note for their service and everything they do for the flight. I don’t expect anything in return. I have always received a thank you from each member of the crew. I do buy two of the same boxes of candy one for my outgoing flight and one for my incoming flight. It’s just a nice way of saying “I appreciate you.”
I fly long haul a lot for work and get to fly up front, but I very often fly with 2 bags of Giradelli (individually wrapped) which I give to the purser, “for the crew”. 1 for outbound, 1 for return.
Always seems to go down well.
Sounds like “another passenger” was absent the day we learned to MYOB.
Local savory snacks are genuinely appreciated, e.g. jamón Iberico and cheese when departing Spain. Don’t like Starbucks myself but try to keep a dozen or so $8 cards in stock.
How does this random passenger know that the other person. Is not entitled to the extra treatment. Status gets you extra treatment sometimes, and there is no way to know someone’s status with the airline.
I’ve been giving candy, Starbucks/Tim Horton’s gift cards and other snacks as gifts to my flight crew and gate agents for years. I don’t expect anything for it. I do it to show my appreciation because the way some people act on flights is horrible and they have to deal with those passengers. I just want the flight crew to know I realize how hard they work and its my way of saying thanks.
I’m probably the only person in the country who does not participate in or even care to know about “viral Tik Tok trends.” Lately too many people have been asking me what I think of LeBron James, so I suppose I’m missing out on something there too.
Maybe the complainant is simply a dick. That’s why someone else got better service. Maybe they were charming, and engaging? Sometimes that works wonders. It did for me, and I flew for 35 years! …and I wasn’t even looking for anything but pleasant passengers.
I know – EVERY BUSINESS sends us surveys these days. We’re inundated with them, and it’s easy to disregard them.. But if you really want to do something nice for me the crew, fill out the survey, and give perfect marks. Include a complimentary comment too.
Those surveys do effect us. Higher survey scores qualify us for rewards, and the comments come back to us.
It’s nice to go back and read over old comments people have made on days when we need a reminder that we like our job.
@DaveS — Well, sir, is James the GOAT? Or is it Jordan? Don’t leave us hanging like that, mah man…
I took a flight once and passed out bags of chapsticks to the flight attendants and they were very appreciative! I had read that was a good thing to give them!
I can see both sides of this.
I have givens tokens of my appreciation to flight crews. Tend to do it around holidays and other times when I know the crews are sacrificing being home to care for the passengers.
I can also see an airline wanting to avoid even the appearance of favoritism. These days that’ll get you cancelled in less than five minutes because someone somewhere will make it out to be something nefarious even if it’s just a gesture of kindness.
I always bring a little treat for the flight attendants, but I expect nothing in return. Their jobs have gotten so ridiculously difficult since the pandemic, and I just want them to feel some kindness.
@controller1 If it’s really just to show appreciation, it should be as a surprise at the end of the flight, not before. That’s the real problem–it implies a quid pro quo.
I have only given a gift to an airline employee once. It was many years ago, on Delta at ATL. At the time, I had top-tier Diamond status, when it really mattered (well before the existence of 360 status). I was already booked in first class on a flight to LGA so had nothing to gain–it was not intended as a bribe. The employee was a gate agent. The flight had been delayed due to bad weather and apparently, an announcement had been made in the SkyClub that it was now boarding, resulting in a large number of passengers arriving at the gate. The problem was that that wasn’t true–the flight was not ready to board. Most passengers took it in stride but one guy berated the gate agent, trying to “correct” her, saying that the flight must be ready to board because of the announcement in the SkyClub. The agent had no choice but to stand her ground (the plane wasn’t at the gate!) but this guy didn’t give up easily. He finally went back to the SkyClub, at which point I spoke with the agent and asked if I could bring her coffee or a soft drink, trying to assure her that the jerk was an outlier. She declined but I brought her back a bottle of Coke and a box of candy anyway. As I boarded, she thanked me again. It felt like the right thing to do–no one should have to put up with that level of crap. And, it was a lot safer and more constructive than taking a swing at a fellow passenger.
Who’s snitching? Mind your business and just bring the crew a treat next time!
Given that most flights have a butt in every seat which “better seats” are these people getting? Maybe 21A for 23A? I have doubts about flight attendants “selling seats.”
I have brought treats (often local chocolates from where I boarded but for long haul I’ll also bring snacks a bit healthier). I usually fly first class but I bring enough for the entire crew and hand them to the purser who to whomever is my FA saying these are treats to thank them for their hard work. And then I joke and say they can share or not. Of course they share – in often get an FA from another area thanking me for the treats, or even the captain. I have done this for more than 20 years.
If I’m traveling on holidays I also bring an extra bag of individually wrapped food chocolates (none of that Hershey’s stuff) and offer to everyone I greet. This past Xmas I had a holiday headband on and not a single person refused me (except for TSA). My carry on luggage weighed a good 10lb because of all I brought (I had 4 legs to get to my destination in Africa).
These are not bribes. These are thank you gifts acknowledging the hard work these folx are doing in getting me to my destination.
I am always polite, smile, and make eye contact with those who work on these flights. If anyone is friendly towards me it is because I am friendly to them, and recognize they are human beings doing a hard job. (I’m horrified how some folx don’t even say thank you when requesting items!).
If that person didn’t get any extra attention, maybe they ought to look at how they are treating people first. Being nice goes a long way to getting nice back. (Shrugs with a smile)
How does the passenger know or not know that maybe the subject passenger is an airline employee nonreving? Alot of times flight attendants will take care of fellow employees. Just mine your dam business, geez.
So maybe the thing is to provide the gift when you deplane instead. Doing it before you receive service has the appearance of a bribe.
Do you tip wait staff before your meal? Do you tip anyone before service received?
Why should flight attendants be different?
“Snitches are scum…..” So, you think if I discover your financial adviser is stealing from you, I should not say a thing? How do you say you’re low class without saying you’re low class?
And people wonder why they can’t move seat any ore even when is wide open! They sent an email to do NOT move people and they try to be nice this happens!
Same poor FAs lost a grievance for service, alleging service changed post covid and now they just brought it back woth less staff and less inventory!
Captain Freedom: Ya know, ignorance can be cured. Stupid can’t. So, I’ll try to cure the ignorance. The $400M “gift” was/will be assigned to the United States Air Force not to the President. The USAF says that it might be difficult to convert to be used by the 89th MAW PAG. So, your comment that it will go to the current president is wrong. Get your facts straight before showing your ignorance. At least I didn’t call you “stupid”.
the passengers who bring gift cards, chocolate
to the crew usually don’t expect anything in return, it’s the FAs glorified this whole gift cards, chocolate thingy.
The FAs automatically offer alcohol drinks which is stupid come on! It’s Just some gift cards and chocolate there is no need to kiss ass. Just take it and say thank you no need to say “let me know if you need anything ” stupid.
I too used to give chocolates and treats but only at the end of the flight pretty much regardless of the treatment I’ve received. No one knows I’m going to give them. It was meant to be a more tangible gesture of my usually saying ‘thank you, good service’ at the end of a flight.
We fly non rev a lot and always give the FA’s chocolates to share with the crew. It’s our way to say thank you for allowing us to use the non rev program.
I often give chocolate. I’ve never received anything but thanks (which is all I want). Except, on an Air NZ flight, the FA handed me a pair of OTE headphones to use on the flight.
I used to fly a lot with Southwest. Depending on the time of day, I would bring on board a large bag of french fries or other little goodies for the flight attendants. I knew some of them were very hungry as they didn’t get any time to take a quick lunch. I never asked for anything at all. I just saw the need, and had no problem helping out.
Win Whitmire: It’s cute how you’re omitting the other half of the story. While he won’t be able to use the plane as president, he intends to have us pay the tens of millions of dollars, if not hundreds, to clean it of possible espionage devices and then to bring it up to Air Force One standards. Eventually, he expects it to go to his presidential library for his personal use. At the end of the day, it will go to the current president, assuming his plans work out.
Either it’s you who is the ignorant one or you’re angling for Karoline Leavitt’s job as Chief Propaganda Minister.
Takes a special kind of ahole to narc on an employee for accepting a tip. One of the reasons this country is going to excrement.
There seems to be an abundance of chocolates being given. Don’t these people diet. A small piece of chocolate daily won’t hurt anybody. But these people seem awash in chocolates!
I recently flew First transatlantic. I gave the crew a box of high end chocolates. Made sure there were no liqueurs – I wasn’t sure if crew were allowed to consume alcohol chocolate on duty. It was also sealed in original cellophane. I’m not sure if crew can consume anything unopened for security and safety reasons.
I was flying BA. As a First customer I already got whatever I wanted; unlimited premium drinks, dining on demand etc.
It was meant purely as a small thank you. The advantage of chocolates is that it can be shared amongst crew, since on a long haul flight you may be looked after by several crew members.
I just wanted to be nice. I had no expectation of better treatment. Like I said, I was already flying first. I also sent an online compliment about my main cabin attendant on my return flight which I know get’s seen by their managers; not the flight with the chocolates.
My general rule is cabin crew work extremely hard and just being nice, or a small gift, should not be seen as anything more than a tiny ‘thank you’.
Sounds like just another intrusion of the US tipping culture. Whatever happened to people being paid to do a job without any expectation of something extra for doing nothing extra?
Boeing has been working on two replacement Air Force One airplanes of the same or a similar model of the 747, supposedly being ready in 2027 and 2028. With their inability to get them ready quicker, it is prudent to have this airplane as plan b. Who knows, Boeing may have further delays.
in pieces
The media experts value the Qatari 747-8 at $400 million but according to Wikipedia that airplane was listed at US$418.4 million in 2019.
in pieces
I wonder what the real price would be on the open market.
in pieces
I seriously doubt that Qatar Airlines and the Qatar government paid close to the list price.
in pieces
Prices are usually negotiated well below list.
in pieces
The airplane is probably worth less than the actual sales price being that the airplane type is no longer in use as much as it once was and is a few years old (but probably with not too many hours.)
that is the kind of logic that says tipping your waiter is a bribe…
the emptiness of some people is just amazing.
One person shows appreciation for the crew by offering a gift, of course a jealous spiteful person sees this and calls it a bribe because THEY want to be treated with appreciation, but not pay for it.
Listen up passengers.. a word of very uncommon sense…TREAT your server ( flight attendant/waiter/Barrista, whatever) with the kindness YOU would want to be given, and see what happens.
I’ve been doing the job long enough to tell you, 80% of passengers look DOWN on the crew rarely a “please” or “thank you: It should come as NO Surprise that when you SHOW a little appreciation, the crew returns the kindness. and when possible, a little something extra.
@DaveS likewise. if some says ” I saw it on tiktok” they automatically lose IQ points.
I’m/he/she is an influencer: lose 1/2 credibility.
@ captain Freedom: Scale matters.
$400M will buy you a lot more than a free drink and a slight seat upgrade.
A box of chocolates, you don’t know what you get.
@ Marion; the gifts by passengers are truly rare. maybe 10% of the time during a holiday month, more often on long haul flights. the most I have personally experienced is 3 families offered gifts on a single flight. consider 1 person /family per 240 passengers. 1 out of 10 flights…
to Win Whitmire.
only one problem with that theory. you assume the president respects the law . As Karolying Leavitt would say,” HE IS the executive branch, anything HE decides, is rule of law.”
if the president decides he wants to keep the plane, no one, not even the SCOTUS that gave him absolute legal immunity will contradict him.