Gift bag ideas for aircrew on our first flight to Spain

[ToffeePennie]

Hi all,
I am definitely overthinking things but we go on our first flight to Spain in a few weeks. I have an autistic husband and older child (both with scoliosis) and an 8 year old with ADHD. Due to the severity of these conditions I put in a welfare form with Tui, and we are travelling from Manchester airport.
I thought it would be nice to give little gift bags to the aircrew (my brother used to be a flight attendant) to say thank you because I know they work super hard and having to deal with my family will be a lot. I was thinking maybe hand cream, foot cream or lip balms? Any other ideas welcome!

Can they accept gifts? Would they even want them? What quality creams etc are you considering? They get access to duty free goods so definately nicer end vs B&M.
If anything maybe just chocolates ot sweets for them to keep energy up? And what if the service is poor?

Thats really not necessary just thank people as and when they assist you, that's all thats required.

Your choice but you are overthinking it. Just go and enjoy your holiday with your family.

If you really want to give them something, then a thank-you card would be nice. They can pin it on the notice board in the crew room at the airport, so lots of people would see it and know how much you appreciate them.

I see a fair few people doing this. Mainly Americans.

Just concentrate on things to keep your family happy during the flight. The crew won’t want a gift bag.

Don’t do this! They don’t need it, don’t want it, and it’s just going to go in landfill. A nice thank you is more than enough. They’ll do it with multiple people per day - it’s just their job, not a special favour to you.

It’s mainly because I saw how my brother would get harassed and screamed at, and I know it is likely one or other of my kids will behave like that as they are likely to have a meltdown at some point during our travel. I want to give them a little “I’m sorry my kids are both neuro-divergent and I hope this can make it up a little bit”
I am a chiropodist so I have access to some really good quality creams that people without a licence cannot buy, so I was thinking of a little gift bag of more exclusive, higher range stuff.

This is super bloody weird OP…I can sense your excitement though, and hope you have a brilliant time in Spain, but please don’t, for the love of god, take presents for the flight attendants!!

Honestly just a card will do. Any kind of foot cream, lip balm or hand cream they will be able to buy at a huge discount in duty frees all round the world.

That said, I am curious about what foot creams need a licence to buy, and why?! 😊

Have a great holiday!

I agree. And if someone particularly goes above and beyond, make a note of their name and send an email to the airline with praise and feedback. They might be able to use it in reviews or promotion applications and so would be more valuable than any gift bag

I think you need to concentrate on the other passengers and your family’s effect on them during a meltdown. Crew are trained and paid to deal with challenging travellers, but your fellow passengers are not.

I think you are overthinking this (probably from a anxiety perspective as you don't know how the flight will go ) but it's not necessary.

Say thank you to the crew and be pleasant and that is enough.

In the run up to the flight focus on what you can do to make the flight easier for your family.

I hope you enjoy your holiday.

It’s not the creams you need a licence for! It’s the websites you can buy them from, so for example I have access to scalpel blades and injections etc.

Please but you are over thinking it, a letter (actual paper) sent afterwards to both crews outbound and inbound will be appreciated but not actual gifts. Saying thank you also goes a huge way.

Thank you all for being so kind. I’ll scrap the gift bag idea!
Im a massive bag of anxiety and have pre booked our seats at extortionate cost to try and help others around us. I’ve literally done everything I can, but yes, I am very anxious.

Another vote for writing to the airline to thank particular staff members. You’re going to be customers like any other customer. Smile, be polite, thank them.
Use the space to take snacks and distractions for the children.

A thank you card will be much appreciated and is really all you need to do.

Concentrate on working on strategies to eliminate meltdowns because that really isn’t fair on staff or fellow passengers (I found bribery worked very well with my autistic dd, literally whatever works for you do)

I used to be crew and we’d always think that anyone trying to gift us things was just sniffing round for a free upgrade… (which we couldn’t just hand out to anyone).

You want to give a gift bag to apologise for your child and husband being disabled? That’s weird.

Unless you know someone is struggling with their feet, don’t be giving them prescription level creams.

Write an email to their bosses and praise their efforts would be better appreciated than a gift bag - how on earth are you going to carry 8 giftbags as well as everything else ? - what if they are arseholes and dont help you much ? What if you dont have enough ?!

make sure your kids are well medicated and as relaxed focus on carrying all the stuff you need for them

The one thing that works for my son is his grandad…who will be a little out of reach for him on a flight! I’m really really hoping he will obsess over the physics of flying (physics is his thing) and that might distract him.

Stop worrying about everyone else!!
you’ve got enough on your plate already
dont stress about what other people are thinking, you can’t control that and if is not your problem x