A Delta passenger shared an interesting experience on Reddit, which got me thinking…
In this post:
Delta flight attendant insists milk is for coffee and tea
A traveler was flying with Delta from Rome (FCO) to New York (JFK), sitting next to a “pretty geeky kid” who was in his late teens or early 20s. Around halfway through the flight, warm chocolate chip cookies were served, and then this happened:
This kid asks if they have any milk on the cart, to which this particular flight attendant says “no,” very tersely. The kid says “okay, I’ll have…” but before he can finish, the other flight attendant hands our rude flight attendant a bottle of milk and my seat mate is poured a cup of milk.
As the flight attendant moves on from our row, he turns back to this kid and says “JUST SO YOU KNOW, the MILK is for COFFEE AND TEA, NOT a GROWN MAN who wants some MILK with his COOKIE!” This kid is stunned silent for a moment and says, a little sheepishly, “I have a cookie, I like it better with milk.”
In the moment, I laughed a little at the absurdity of the whole thing, but I’ve been thinking about it since and I was kind of mad. The kid didn’t do anything wrong. He made a slightly weird request, sure, but not so weird that it merited that response. Thoughts?
This seems ridiculous, but I have some questions
Okay, so the Delta flight attendant here seems bizarrely combative and rude. That certainly doesn’t sound like “the Delta difference” that the airline likes to tout. I can’t imagine treating a passenger that way, so I hope this passenger at least sends a note to the airline to report the flight attendant’s behavior, so that it’s in his file, in case it’s a pattern of bad behavior.
That being said, this raises an interesting question — is there any truth to what the flight attendant was saying, or was he being a jerk completely baselessly?
While it’s not so common nowadays, going back 10-15 years, it was totally common for airlines to specifically serve warm cookies with glasses of milk for dessert. You wouldn’t be weird for having that combination, but instead, you’d be weird to scoff at it. So yeah, cookies and milk aren’t just for kids, but at least going back a decade, were also for grown adults in premium cabins.
So, is ordering milk as a drink on a plane strange in any way? I had a look back at some of the premium cabin menus I’ve had in recent times, and menus seem split as to whether or not they list milk as a beverage. For example, on my recent American business class flight, milk is listed on the beverage menu…
…while on a recent Delta business class flight, milk wasn’t listed on the beverage menu.
That’s not to say that Delta doesn’t have milk onboard, but instead, I guess the airline doesn’t generally view it as a standalone beverage. Is that deliberate, in the sense that Delta caters less milk per passenger than American, for example, or does the airline just assume that people don’t want to drink it?
Regardless, the attitude the flight attendant had with the passenger seems unacceptable. There should be nothing controversial about ordering a cup of milk with a warm chocolate chip cookie. And if the airline truly didn’t cater enough, then there’s a polite way to explain that to a passenger, rather than trying to make them feel bad.
Bottom line
A Delta flight attendant reportedly scolded a passenger on a transatlantic flight for ordering a cup of milk with the warm chocolate chip cookie being served. The flight attendant claimed that milk is only for coffee and tea, and not intended as a standalone drink.
While I can understand milk may be loaded in limited quantities, that’s the first time that I’ve heard that. Interestingly, though, Delta menus don’t seem to list milk as a drink, while American menus do list milk as a drink. I’m not sure to what extent that’s deliberate, and if it really reflects different amounts of milk being loaded.
What do you make of this Delta milk and cookie saga?
Someone should alert the American Dairy Association, pronto.
(Gus Fring voice) This is unacceptable.
gee, I was about to book a trip on Delta, not now
Kinda fun story amongst the craziness in the world. Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world where we worry about milk with our cookies. A flight attendant should be glad someone simply wants an innocent glass of milk to enjoy with their cookie.
Can't they just store some of those milks that they have at Chipotle that somehow don't expire for like a year on board for requests like this? Feels silly to get mad at someone wanting milk and cookies.
I remember on AA transcon (not even premium transcon) flights when it was standard for the arrival service (yes, there was an arrival service) to include the baked-on-board cookie (plated, not in a bag) to be served with a glass of cold milk.
The first time I flew in a premium cabin internationally was on Delta. I slept through the cookie service, so after I awoke I went up to the galley to request a cookie. The flight attendant told me to return to my seat and she would bring one to me momentarily. A few minutes later she arrived at my seat with my cookie, and another one, and a glass of milk. She smiled and said,...
The first time I flew in a premium cabin internationally was on Delta. I slept through the cookie service, so after I awoke I went up to the galley to request a cookie. The flight attendant told me to return to my seat and she would bring one to me momentarily. A few minutes later she arrived at my seat with my cookie, and another one, and a glass of milk. She smiled and said, "it ain't right to have a cookie without a glass of milk." It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes. Thirteen years later I still remember that exchange, and it helped foster an overall positive impression of Delta. I wonder what this kid's impression of Delta will be in 13 years...
I often think these crew are in the wrong job. Oh and the misandry just adds to how inappropriate the comment was.
Milk has been available in shelf-stable packaging for quite a while now. I'm sure the cost is lower than that of alcohol, but perhaps higher than soda. As a parent who has faced paying over $8 for a tiny carton of milk at some airports, and since it can't be taken through security for older children, I would love to see more airlines offer it onboard, even for sale.
Sorry, you should have asked for warm milk to. The fact you didn’t means you let the kid down and shouldn’t have written this article, but reflected on your own reaction
I find the story a bit sus. That being said mentally unbalanced people find themselves in the air and sometimes as crew. If true it's time for one flight attendant to take a medical leave.
Once, on a BA flight flying biz, I asked for a glass of milk. The flight attendant looked at me a bit terrified. Then she grabbed a whole bag with those little milk pods to be used with tea, and started pouring them onto a glass. I smiled and then just asked for the standard orange juice. But extra points for trying :)
American and Asian airlines usually don't have milk, but Europeans do most of the times.
Wow. A slow travel news day I see. lol
What's with a comment like this? The story was interesting enough to garner almost 1,000 upvotes on reddit, and 26 comments here on OMAAT which, to put that in perspective, compares to the 5 comments on an comprehensive guide to the Amex Platinum which was posted earlier.
If it doesn't suit your interest that's fine, you don't have to come here and broadcast that. Unless you're so arrogant as to believe the imposition of your...
What's with a comment like this? The story was interesting enough to garner almost 1,000 upvotes on reddit, and 26 comments here on OMAAT which, to put that in perspective, compares to the 5 comments on an comprehensive guide to the Amex Platinum which was posted earlier.
If it doesn't suit your interest that's fine, you don't have to come here and broadcast that. Unless you're so arrogant as to believe the imposition of your opinions is worthy of everyone else hearing them despite you adding nothing of substance to the Delta/milk/cookies conversation.
Tim and his BA alter ego are really having some tough weeks.
Best believe i'm asking for milk on every US bound trans-atlantic flight i'm on from here on out
That's petty and inappropriate of you. The milk is obviously for coffee and tea, meaning it's not provisioned to the quantity needed to support people requesting standalone milk. It's probably also not provisioned logistically in a way that facilitates flight attendants serving it - this is evidenced by the fact that milk wasn't on the first attendant's drink cart. Although the rude FA was rude and had zero justification for that attitude, the message is...
That's petty and inappropriate of you. The milk is obviously for coffee and tea, meaning it's not provisioned to the quantity needed to support people requesting standalone milk. It's probably also not provisioned logistically in a way that facilitates flight attendants serving it - this is evidenced by the fact that milk wasn't on the first attendant's drink cart. Although the rude FA was rude and had zero justification for that attitude, the message is pretty obvious that milk isn't meant to be served standalone. Knowing that, if you still order milk especially for no reason but to be petty, you are a gluteus maximus of the highest order. (ass.)
That… Or I like milk with my warm cookie
Amazing how annoyed some people in this country get by other people making choices that don't affect them. Chill the F out. People like what they like.
Lucky, I remember when you first started flying AA circa 2011 you remarked how on AA the F/As were surprised you asked for milk with the (then) baked onboard cookie and how on UA it was commonplace to see grown adult pax in UA F dunk the UA cookies in milk.
Funny a similar thing happened years later to another pax on DL
https://onemileatatime.com/my-second-revenue-journey-on-american/
Cookies baked on-board? Knowing this, from now on I will miss them on every flight!
OMG, the meals in that old review look so good! At least compared to what you get today on AA.
Been seeing stories of a lot of poor customer service and unprofessionalism from Delta FA's lately. Unacceptable behavior.
A premium airline should not only offer regular milk with cookies, but alternative choices : oat milk, almond milk and perhaps scotch and milk. POTUS should write an executive order immediately.
I got chewed out by a United FA from LAX to LHR (in business) for requesting water. Allegedly they were low on it, and it was apparently insensitive of me to ask for > 1 bottle. Sometimes, FAs have bad days, but it sure puts a sourness on the experience that lasts for a long time - at least 14 years in this case.
Fun fact: it was one of my last UA flights.
If only airlines would serve teens beer and cocktails we wouldn't be having this discussion.
You’re asking the wrong question. The question should be “Did this actually happen?” Because relying on social media to provide content for this page is questionable in itself.
this reminds me of an incident my wife and I had about 20 years ago when traveling between Sydney and Los Angeles on a United flight with our daughter who was 18 months old at the time. When the meal service came around my wife asked the flight attendant if the milk was regular milk, meaning was it whole milk, skim etc, because she wanted it for the baby. The flight attendant's answer was, "no,...
this reminds me of an incident my wife and I had about 20 years ago when traveling between Sydney and Los Angeles on a United flight with our daughter who was 18 months old at the time. When the meal service came around my wife asked the flight attendant if the milk was regular milk, meaning was it whole milk, skim etc, because she wanted it for the baby. The flight attendant's answer was, "no, it's goat's milk." It wasn't said jokingly, it was said angrily. there were other issues we experienced on that flight that I won't go into, but this story brought back that unpleasant memory. Stick to apple juice, I guess.
United flight attendants (especially the males) are among the worst I've experienced- even in business class. It usually feels like they see us as a burden and nuisance.
I should also not that I've had milk as a beverage on several international flights while traveling with international carriers. I typically have it with dessert when I do, as it breaks the sweetness a bit.
This is so true. As an employee I've found at times, when I get to fly business, the experience is less than premium. At first I thought it was just because I was an employee using my flight benefits, but then I saw how the flight attendants treated passengers I knew were revenue and just felt bad. It's like they rush through their service, then dim the lights and hide in the galley. If you...
This is so true. As an employee I've found at times, when I get to fly business, the experience is less than premium. At first I thought it was just because I was an employee using my flight benefits, but then I saw how the flight attendants treated passengers I knew were revenue and just felt bad. It's like they rush through their service, then dim the lights and hide in the galley. If you ask for something it's brought to you with an attitude that they had to actually do their job. It's funny that they demand 'better contracts' but provide horrid service. I've flown several International carriers and could see a difference where even a non-revenue passenger gets the same treatment as a revenue.
It's all about rights. The flight attendant has a right to make rude comments to customers. The company has a right to discipline and punish that flight attendant, or fire them if need be. Della had a right to give a negative reference for that flight attendant seeking future employment.
"Just so you know," sky waitress, your job is to push the cart and hand out the Coke cans.
Maybe leave your sexist judgment back at your studio apartment, alongside your dreams of being a Broadway superstar by 30.
As is true w/ any anecdotal story whether here or on Gary's site, in an industry that serves about 1 billion customers per year just to/from the US and is staffed by hundreds of thousands of employees, there are bad (and wrong) interactions regardless of the company.
If the customer complained or the other FA informed the purser, the chances are high that the FA will receive some mgmt feedback on the incident -...
As is true w/ any anecdotal story whether here or on Gary's site, in an industry that serves about 1 billion customers per year just to/from the US and is staffed by hundreds of thousands of employees, there are bad (and wrong) interactions regardless of the company.
If the customer complained or the other FA informed the purser, the chances are high that the FA will receive some mgmt feedback on the incident - which is the way good companies deal w/ stuff like this.
Based on the headline alone I assumed it was a JFK, while nothing that harsh, it seems very believable based on my own experiences. While it is mostly very good, there are a few very bad apples among DLs more tenured FAs.
"He made a slightly weird request, sure, but not so weird that it merited that response. Thoughts?"
There is nothing weird about wanting milk with any cookie, least of all a warm one.
Are you really taking unverified stories from Reddit and turning them into posts now?
That's what Gary does, and many of us expect better from you.
In the words of the legend Patrick Swayze in Road House: "Be nice." So simple and so profound.
One would expect an airline with a base in SLC to offer as many Mormon-friendly drinks as possible
In the hierarchy of things that didn't actually happen, this is #2 right behind Jussie Smollett's "incident."
I was just thinking to myself, why do people believe many of the stories on reddit? A good number of the stories are people's fantasies and imaginations
I remember clear as day sitting with a United FA who was travelling in the seat next to me. She pulled out a small container of cereal and during beverage service asked for milk to put in it. I thought it was genius.
I've often stolen some milk from the cereal section at a buffet just to have a small glass in the am, love it.
Whoever this was did nothing to deserve any ridicule from the FA or other passengers. I hope they did leave a complaint.
I drink milk on its own, what's the problem?
And I've had milk onboard before. While not on the menu, the cabin crew happily obliged. It was on CX btw.
So once again, what's the problem?
Miller Lite #puke
Ok but UA something something AA something something most profitable airline something something dominates NYC airports something something unmatched fleet renewal something something.
As a grown man, let me just say that it should be illegal to serve warm chocolate chip cookies on an aircraft WITHOUT milk.
FFS, someone needs to report this "bad apple."