A United Airlines flyer admitted to taking a glass off a flight to use at home, and other passengers are weighing in on the things they’ve stolen for their preferred carrier.
Am I the only person with UA kleptomania?
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A United flight attendant advised that she only notices passengers taking glassware when doing landing preparation, “while I’m collecting glasses if I’m short a glass” however if it’s off of a first class meal tray “I would never notice.” Their advice? “take whatever you want as long as it doesn’t shatter during landing.”
Another employee shared that they have multiple Polaris blankets from nonreving up front.” Just don’t “walk out with it in your hand.” You should “stuff it in your bag B4 deplaning.” And they advise picking up the blanket from the seat next to yours and placing it in your chair before getting off if you’re “scared.” That way it looks like the other passenger took their blanket instead of you.
A passenger shared that they’re “wearing Polaris PJs [at the moment]” drawing a rejoinder from another, “I’ve been married for 23 years, wearing Polaris pjs is as close as my wife gets to wearing lingerie. On special occasions she’ll wear her Qatar pjs.”
Officially, you can take your business class amenity kit with you but not the bedding. Here’s a woman in business class on a Turkish Airlines flight “stuffing her bag full of goodies” and one has to imagine that this is staged.
Everyone used to steal the salt and pepper shakers from Virgin Australia business class, back when they used to fly long haul. The pair made a Sydney Opera House.
Several years ago United directed flight attendants to keep a watchful eye over passengers who might ‘steal’ business class bedding.
Around the same time, American Airlines passengers were kicked off of a flight for taking blankets. They delayed the flight over this.
Many years ago, Holiday Inn offered a ‘towel amnesty’. If you’d fess up that you took towels from their hotels, you could keep them. In 2013, Hyatt started encouraging guests to steal bath amenities.
I might have certain airline blankets at home. Etihad first class blankets are among the softest and most comfortable I’ve ever felt. Whenever I see and feel an airline blanket, it brings me back to the experience and makes me want to get back on board.
I’ve been invited to take things on board, and if I want something I will generally ask. An American Airlines flight attendant invited me to take extra pajamas on a Sydney flight. There’s so much stuff on an Emirates first class flight they give you a tote bag. Etihad does as well.
Of course no one actually thinks it’s ok to steal artwork and decorative books from airport lounge bathrooms, but passengers are doing it anyway.
I’m a lifelong salt-a-holic, and despite this I always forget to pack my own salt when traveling. I hate making a fuss to get salt, or eating a hotel room and damnit, no salt. So yeah, a couple of times in first class, I took the little personal shaker. Guilty.
My kids and I wanted to take the Virgin Atlantic airplane salt and pepper shakers, but I still made the kids ask for permission. I didn’t want them to think it was ok to just take stuff. Then we learned that the crew was actively encouraging pax to take them. But then again when I picked up a pair it was obvious why. They’re made of plastic, so they’re expecting them to go missing. I always thought they were metal.
There was a time in which this behavior was considered low class. Today people have toddler levels of maturity combined with sense of entitlement. See your previous thread about a guy who loads up his plate in a United Club and dumps it in his bag.
Sorry, Gary, but it’s stealing. Theft. If you’d like something, ALWAYS ask. People don’t ask because they want it and don’t want to be told “No”. It. Is. Stealing. And if you do it in front of your kids or let your kids know, then blame yourself when they get busted for theft or are in trouble because they don’t follow the rules or listen. Yep, it’s YOUR fault.
Airline glassware and silverware are items I look for at thrift stores and are often priced at 50 cents each.
I’m guessing that most of the theft occurs on the return flight home. Silverware would be flagged in your carry-on bag at security before the return flight and would have to be placed in checked baggage. There is a higher risk in lugging all your “souvenirs” throughout your whole trip.
The Etihad F class blanket is great. My daughter loves it too. So I took one once. On a subsequent trip, my wife casually mentioned how much our daughter loves that blanket, and the FA gave her a freshly packaged one to take.
A person I know has taken so many things over the decades that he has entire premium meal setups from different carriers in his home!
just because you can pay for a “class” seat, doesn’t mean you have class.
thou shalt not steal.
I do hope some people will be able to explain their thievery when thy get to the pearly gates..
thing 1, Thank you. perfectly said.
Sorry to see my comment that class doesn’t always come with being in a class cabin, didn’t make the Cut.
or maybe it was the bible quote “thou shalt not steal” that did the trick.
maybe the comment about “good luck explaining that at the pearly gates” comment…
anyway, it was censored out…
Thank you Thing 1 . perfectly well said.
K… hopefully you read about the couple who bought snacks on their Tenerife to Bristol flight. The CC was declined and the police met the aircraft and arrested them over £9.00!
Why should we (the public) pay for prosecution of individuals that are involved in a minor theft? If the airlines wanted, they could inventory all their items on arrival (some do with headsets) – that’s not going to happen!
I have taken blankets off a plane, knowing I’d be using them on my connecting flight, where they might not be offered.
Michael — don’t know if they still have it, but my Virgin Atlantic salt & pepper say “Pinched from Virgin Atlantic” on the bottom!
Go to an Airline Collectible show and you will find any of the items mentioned above. Some bring big prices. I (among other things) have a collection of over 150 marked Airline glasses. Some date back to many airlines no longer with us (like Eastern). Airline China, flatware and anything marked with an Airline name or logo is collectible…..
If you’re a thief, please consider Delta.
I had quite the espresso cup and saucer collection from working in Italy, but always asked if I could purchase them. I’d get quite the look. I guess it’s the equivalent of asking to buy a plastic cup from Dunkin over here.
Methinks the majority of kleptos in biz and FC, are on mileage upgrades.
People who do that can easily afford not to. I was once traveling with someone who took a fork for some reason. It was with a stopover in Korea and when you change planes there on an international flight, they send you through screening when you go to the transfer area. Of course it showed up in the scan.
It’s not as if the forks are anything special, and if someone took one each time, they may end up spending over $20,000 by the time they get a complete set. I’d suggest IKEA as an alternative.
So, we are experiencing a class divide that threatens to start a war, and yet the rich are encouraged to steal everything in sight? Nah, we’re not cooked
/S
Wait, you aren’t supposed to steal pjs? They reuse those things ?!?
Must of us are aviation geeks, not kleptomaniacs. I prefer when something is gifted to us as passengers, like an amenity kit, pajamas, or a KLM Delft Blue house. Theft is wrong and sad.
@Matt — At least Delta’s items would be of higher quality, I suppose. *sigh* Keep Climbing…
@George N Romey — Less of a ‘class’ thing, and more an ‘in bad taste’ issue.
United PJs have pockets, which make them infinitely more usable than the Qatar PJs. I need a pocket for my phone.
@Nate — Woah there, buddy–it depends on which generation of pajamas. Nothing wrong with Polaris or Qatar PJs. However, Qatar’s more-recent Formula One-themed pajama shorts *do* have pockets, at least in medium size. (I know because I’m wearing them currently, bah!)
Several years ago i has a silverware serving for eight, united, delta, frontier, continental. Ex-wife got them. Karma :>
I have a nice collection of First/ Business wine glasses from my travels . I only acquired them from flights I have taken. Now on.display in my home.
Many vintage classes from airlines not in existence now:
TW/PI/CO/Avensa (Venezuela)
Saeta (Ecuador) Lan Chile / Aces Colombia amongst others.
I always thought PJs and amenity kits were there to bring home. Think of me in Japanese carriers that they make you return the cardigan back again.
Blankets and such, aren’t they recycled ? Or do Airlines use a new one every time ? So people are OK with stealing used bedding. Pathetic!
I saw a DL FA take a plastic wrapped “Heavenly comforter and pillow” from 1st to Hawaii. It’s hot in Hawaii,: how loyal of them to launder and return it.
Sorry to see so many would be felons on here who “would be” f they were not afraid of being caught.
Taking a salt shaker is not a felony of course, but this behavior signifies a deeper level of disregard for legal and moral codes.
My Grandmother did this for years. Before she passed last year she gave me her collection of airline silverware, dozens upon dozens of pieces from legacy carriers, many now defunct. It’s my most valued heirloom. She did it for the fun of the theft, and because she was a crazy person who I was deeply close with.
Myself, I just got off a Swiss Air flight back to my home in the US, with 6 new pieces to add to the collection. I’ve taken up the torch, and everything a small spoon goes in my bag I smile and remember her.