Flying with Thanks!

Being an airline employee is one of the top stressful jobs you can have. If you're doubting this, you've either never been an employee for an airline, or never flown and had your flights cancelled, delayed, or rerouted, and encountered a mob of angry passengers.

When you fly, you basically check your control, at the curb. For type A personality people, this is hard. You check your bags, hoping they'll make it to your final destination. You hope you get a good seat (and are always secretly hoping they'll call you up and 'upgrade' you to first class for being such an awesome person, for free!). You hope you'll be on time, or early. You're basically just hoping for the best, knowing full well, you can't do anything about whatever it is, is about to happen to you!

Most of the time, if you pay attention, those airline agents rarely ever smile. But, if you listen to what they're dealing with, you'll understand why. They get paid just barely minimum wage, to deal with world's angriest population, on a daily basis. If you come up with the comment, "Well, they fly for free." You'd be wrong. Over the past several years, they've had these rights taken away as well. They pay for their seats now too.

Most people are aggressive to these people from the get go. Just always ready to battle in hopes of getting something for free. You messed up my checked bag last time, I get this one for free. My seats were in the back next to the toilet and it smelt, I want a free upgrade. I want, I want, I want. Honestly, these people have no control over that either. The constant battles, make it hard to really do anything for a lot of people. Even if they start out on a positive note, it will usually end sour. 

When I travel, even when I was working for the airlines, I liked to travel with little gifts. Just something to say, "Hey-good job today! I understand." Even now, as just a regular paying passenger, I do this. Might as well spread a little love around the world, right? What's wrong with putting some good out in the world? Plus, having someone come up and give you a little treat pretty much ensures, even the person in the most rotten mood, will probably, if it needs to happen, go out of their way to help ensure you're taken care of it something should go awry. What's wrong with having a little help on your side? Nothing! Win-Win, I say!

Giving them a little treat and thank you!

We have a small out station in our town. This is a regional airport, where the same person you check in with, will also be boarding you. (Best NOT to make these people mad, because you WILL be facing them over and over again. *Just a tip!*)

Plus, they LOVE food! As I was checking in our car seats, I gave them this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake, with a little note of thanks! Something to brighten the morning mood of everyone!

It's nice to see smiles at 6:30 a.m. Especially, when traveling with kids. 

Denver Airport Gate

When we got to Denver, as you can see, it's a little clustered. People every where! My gate agent, never looked up. She had a line that went from her podium to the end of the wall. Talk about stressful, and she was trying to board the flight by herself to boot. 

Give a little thanks, to anyone you can!

After she had cleared her line, I walked up, smiled and handed her, her 'treat.' I told her she was doing a great job, and walked away. She seemed really happy. I didn't give her gold, just a compliment, but that's the stuff that can help change a person's day.

I've offered to even get some of these people coffee before, too! Never know when a cup of Joe might just change a person's perspective.

In any event, spreading the love around, never hurts. Helps a lot. Try it next time you fly. Give them a little thanks and understanding. They don't like it when your flight is delayed or cancels either. They don't like pulling people off flights, or when your bags get lost. They're people, who fly just like you, too! They've experienced everything you have, but times ten.

Hope this gives you some great ideas on how to share some positive goodness on your next trip. Just knowing I was going to give them treats, really made MY day!


Need other giving ideas? Check out Encouragement in a Balloon, The Library Fine, Coffee Dates, and Little Red Truck.
I'd love to hear if you've done something like this before! Share your ideas in the comments or on our Facebook page!

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Do it!




Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.
Psalm 100:4