Deep empathy for flight attendants - giving gifts to balance things out?

[gentlegee1976]

Hi everyone,
I want to show some appreciation to the flight attendants on an upcoming trip. This is country number 11 that I am going to visit, and over my travels, I've developed a deep personal empathy for public service workers.

I have prepared four £10 Starbucks gift vouchers (one for each crew member on a short-haul flight) to hand over.

This will be done from BHX whenever my finances allow me to. Along with the gift cards, I’ve written a note to explain why I'm doing this. This is the exact text of the note:

"Hi, please accept these Starbucks gift vouchers as a small gesture of my appreciation. There's one for each of you (4 in total).
I spent 10 years as a Birmingham bus driver, during which time I was spat at, punched in the face and headbutted, not to mention the endless disrespect and abuse that public service workers have to endure.
Although (as you already know) the overwhelming majority of people are polite and respectful, it's the small minority that can really ruin your day.
I'm just trying to balance things out a bit and maybe brighten your shift up a little. I truly understand the problems that you face, and the fact that they're only getting worse.
Unfortunately, 12-hour+ workdays are all too familiar to me as well. Please buy yourselves a nice breakfast, you deserve it. I appreciate your hard work, and recognise that you do a difficult and demanding job."

My question for the board is: will this small gesture do to try and balance out the endless problems that they have to deal with?

Has anyone done something similar, or do we have any cabin crew on here who can advise? They'll be given to the first attendant I see in an envelope (discreetly) when first boarding. They'll understand when they open it.
Thanks in advance.

It's coming from a good place, but it's a bit odd. I'm sure they will take your gift but I suspect they aren't all going to find your "deep empathy" as touching as you might hope.

It’s a nice gesture in principle, but handing them out to all the crew the moment you board kind of makes it seem hollow and like you’re sucking up to them for special treatment during your flight, rather than genuine gratitude. You’d be better off handing them out to individuals, as and when you see them dealing with something difficult.

Also, why flight attendants specifically? I’m sure the on-the-ground airline staff deal with just as many difficult customers. Ditto the airport security staff. The waiters in the airport bars. Do you see what I mean?

That seems a little odd to me.

Bit weird... Just give the giftcards, the note is not necessary. I know you mean well, but they won't have time to read it. Just a note saying thanks and enjoy would be enough.

Have you posted about this before? Perhaps, with love, you're overthinking it all a little ❤️

I would do it at the end when you get off - otherwise you risk it being seen as wanting better service in return.
i think I might rephrase the note though - you seem to be implying their job is unbearable, and they may not feel that way about it. I would just note you really appreciate all they do and you know customers aren’t always easy to deal with etc…

It's really weird. Sorry.

Arethey even allowed gift cards from costumers?

Receiving monetary gifts could be problematic, as this could be perceived as bribery. A lot of companies have strict policies in place about this, have you checked? Also way too much text, and it seems to be all about you??

Seems odd to me. Flight attendant is not a basic minimum wage job, but pretty sought after and people undergo a fair bit of training to do it. People choose to do those jobs and could work elsewhere if they didn't like it. They don't need you patronising them.

Do it at the end of your flight or it looks like you’re trying to get special treatment.
and the message isn’t necessary,

Totally OTT and dramatic.

You sound a bit full on tbh, the 3 cabin crew I know love their job and they get paid well and get to see the world. Yes give them a tip or a voucher but no need to make such a big deal of it

This is bizarre. They are paid for their work. They are not public service workers. Not sure what flights you go in, but I’ve only been on ones where passengers are reasonable and the flight attendants are doing their job without any hassle. Maybe just say thank you?

But neither bus drivers nor cabin crew are public service workers, unless they work for a publicly-owned transit authority or state airline, are they?

Hi I'm ex crew. It's a lovely idea and it will be appreciated! No need for the note though - maybe just something like "a little token to thank you for all that you do" and id give it towards the end.

Nothing in place officially about not accepting but cash tips are not usually permitted nor is anything you can consume (recent story about a BA crew potentially being poisoned with contaminated chocs)

I’m sure I’ve read it before too.

Flight attendants aren’t ’public Sector’ workers. Airlines are private businesses. This just sounds like a really cringy thing to do - what about the flight crew? My friend’s son is currently paying off a £65k debt - his pilot training fees - on a salary not much higher than the highest paid cabin crew who don’t need to pay any fees to train for their job.

You do know that they get paid to be there dont you? They aren't volunteering cleaning toilets or something, they get paid to do a job which seems mostly pretty easy.
I think it's really weird, you'd be better.off.donating the money to a charity

How very odd, the note especially seems bizarre.

I have read this before. It’s really weird.

The job of a flight attendant CAN absolutely be unbearable at times. People on forums who have never worked in public transit or aviation often suffer from a massive blind spot.

They see the glamorous side of travel or view the crew merely as "waitstaff in the sky," completely missing the gruelling reality of managing the public in a confined space, whilst dealing with ignorant and disrespectful people on a daily basis.

Like a bus driver, a flight attendant is locked in a tight enclosure with lots of strangers, dealing with the exact same challenges, but amplified by the unique pressures of aviation.

You might say, "Well, they can always quit"? You'd then be complaining about cancelled flights and demanding a refund.

And if they do quit, it means you want them to quit and still serve you when you go on holiday as well? How does that work? It's the same mentality as people saying it to waitresses. Are you going to go into the kitchen and place your order with the chef?

This is a bit much! Cabin crew work hard like many jobs but surely your money would be better spent on charities which support actual frontline workers? Or a local charity for disabled or disadvantaged kids? Or a hospice?

I think it's a bit odd and could make them feel uncomfortable. Are you male or female? I ask because it might feel even more uncomfortable if you're a man handing out gifts and notes to female cabin crew.
I'm wondering why specifically cabin crew? Why not the cleaners in the airport toilets? The platform staff at airport station? The people working in the Starbucks where you buy the gift tokens? There are lots of people working in public facing roles who face rudeness and abuse.

Out of all the jobs I can think of where the public are dicks to staff members, cabin crew aren’t even remotely close to the top of the list. I’ve never seen better behaved people than on a flight, because the threshold for kicking off could get you chucked off the plane. Far more likely the customer service assistants at the airport wIll have to deal with awful customers.

Just say thank you very much, that’s all that’s needed. What you’re suggesting doing with the note etc is way OTT. I could understand if a particular member of staff had been really helpful to you but just because they’re cabin crew is ofd.

I've seen the trend for giving gifts out to staff and sometimes parents do it for other passengers, it seems mostly to be for social media attention. If you really feel like you must, give a short (cut the waffle about yourself) thank you note and give them at the end. I still think it's unnecessary and doing it at the start of the flight will make the staff feel awkward.

are you doing this for all the bus drivers in Birmingham?