Many passengers bring gifts for the flight crew when they board a plane, especially around the holidays. Usually, these are small tokens of appreciation like chocolates, Starbucks gift cards, and even Liquid IV hydration packets. Recently, a traveler gave a gift so generous that its ripple effect spread from the cockpit to the back of the plane.
A generous gift
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A flight attendant is surprised with boxes of electronics for the crew
(Instagram)
Scooter Jones uploaded a clip to Instagram capturing the moment that he surprised an American Airlines flight attendant with an armful of boxes of AirPods Max. “This is for the flight attendants and the pilots,” he said. “You guys work so hard, and it’s the holidays.”
At first, the flight attendant can’t believe it, but her jaw drops when she realizes the generous gift is real. “Thank you so much,” she says, before asking, “Where are you sitting?”
Jones says he’s sitting “all the way in the back, next to the toilets.”
The flight attendant responds by asking if she can hug him, asking for his name, and introducing herself as Julia. Flight attendants don’t usually hug passengers, but she’s swept away in the moment, and it’s clear she wants to find a small way to return his kindness. But what happens next is truly surprising.
An unexpected offer
Mansoor generously heads to the back of the plane
(Instagram)
As Jones walks past first class to his seat, the other passengers smile, fist-bump, and give him a big thumbs-up to acknowledge his generosity. Then, one of the passengers offers to switch seats.
Jones appears confused, “I don’t want to switch seats,” he says. “I’m in the very back one next to the toilet. You’re in the front seat. This is like a five-hour flight.”
The passenger, who says his name is Mansoor, says, “No worries,” as he gathers his belongings and heads to the back of the plane, giving up extra legroom, meals, and first-class service to sit near the bathroom.
The kindness continued
American Airlines Airbus A319-112 aircraft
(kameraworld via Getty Images)
The video resumed with Jones handing Mansoor a box of AirPods as he disembarked the plane. At first, he refuses the gift, but Jones insists, and Mansoor eventually accepts the box.
At the end of the clip, Jones hands a similar box to his Uber driver.
The comments celebrated the act
So far, the post has received over 500,000 likes. Comments include:
“As a flight attendant myself, I would’ve cried 😭🥹 you’re amazing.”
“This was so kind of you! Glad the good karma came back to you.”
“All I ever bring is chocolates. 😂 Time to level up.”
Acts of kindness are contagious
In the video, a generous act led others to reciprocate with gestures of their own. Between the flight attendant’s hug, the fist bumps, and Mansoor’s gift of a first-class seat, everyone gave back in their own way.
Not everyone is in a position to give expensive gifts, but we’re all capable of noticing the people around us and saying thank you in our own way, not just over the holidays, but all year round.