<p>“busdriver, even better than just giving the drink coupons, I’ve actually given up my first class seat to a soldier”</p>
<p>Not to keep being the Grinch, but that’s another one that I have an issue with the airlines asking people to do. American, apparently, does that a lot. Now it’s one thing for an individual to see a soldier, talk to them, find out they are on their way to a deployment, and offer up their seat. That is kind and classy. However, sometimes airlines will try to guilt the entire first class section into giving up their seats for soldiers onboard, and that’s just wrong.</p>
<p>People may have paid several hundred dollars extra for that seat. Some people have terrible back or weight problems, and it was worth it to get that seat. Would you just walk up to someone in uniform and give them $700? The soldier might just be flying from their home to their base in Hawaii, not deploying or never have deployed to a combat zone at all. The first class passenger may have just worked all night and is exhausted, has served themselves in a war, and would never have considered asking someone else to give up their seat (cough cough). I am also annoyed by the “thank you for your service” lines. It seems so hollow and insincere. If you’re going to express gratitude, make it real, and not just a canned sentence. </p>