Actress Kaley Cuoco caused some turbulence when she said flight attendants should receive tips.
The majority of the internet thought otherwise.
Cuoco, who plays an airline flight attendant in the HBO series, The Flight Attendant, made the declaration during a TMZ interview at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
The media reporter had asked her:
"When you catch a flight, do you have an added appreciation for flight attendants after having played one?"
"Yes, actually I do," she replied, with a smirk on her face.
"They deserve tips. Tip your flight attendants."
You can watch the TMZ interview here.
Kaley Cuoco Says Flight Attendants Deserve Tips | TMZyoutu.be
Twitter went into a meltdown over her flippant suggestion.
The topic sparked a discussion against the practice that seems to be exploited in the US over other countries.
Users suggested better wages would prevent the need for tipping in any industry.
When asked if she had to study flight attendants to play one, she said she's flown enough to understand what they deal with.
At the conclusion of the interview, as she was making her way to the gate, the reporter inquired about her recently announced pregnancy and asked if she had any food cravings.
"Not really," she said.
As far as tipping flight attendants goes, their unions don't generally encourage the custom.
According to the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA):
"Tipping is not part of a Flight Attendant's compensation for serving as aviation's first responders."
"Flight Attendants are certified for our safety, health, and security work."
"Safety is not variable, and therefore, base compensation for a safety job cannot be variable."
Former flight attendant Jo Jo Harder told USA Today:
"Flight attendants should not be tipped."
Harder added that while she understands guests feeling compelled to tip" for good service," it was something that was "not allowed."
However, for airlines like Southwest Airlines, attendants are permitted to accept tips if a passenger insists.
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