Vindication! AA Executive Platinum Members Get Free Drinks and Food in Coach

Yesterday, I flew LAX-DFW-JAN with my wife. On the LAX-DFW flight (on the dreaded 737-800, which has only 16 seats in first class), my upgrade didn't clear. My wife and I were seated in 14F and E. 

When the flight attendants came around to do drink service, I asked about what snacks they were stocking on the cart and then requested the chocolate chip cookie (a healthy breakfast to be sure). After handing my diet coke and cookie to me, the FA then whipped out the credit card machine and said, "Two dollars, please."

"I'm actually an Executive Platinum member," I told her.

"Only AAirpass members get free drinks and snacks."

"Actually, so do Executive Platinum members."

"No, they don't. I'm 100-percent sure of this."

"So am I. As an Executive Platinum member, I'm entitled to one free drink and a free snack off the cart."

"No, you're not. Sir, there are over a dozen EPs on this flight. If we had to give them all free drinks and food, we'd be out."

"I understand. But I'm very sure about this benefit for Executive Platinum members."

"Whatever. Just take the cookie."

Suffice it to say that my wife was very embarrassed. She rolled her eyes at me. "Seriously?" she asked me.

A few minutes later, after the service was over, the FA came back to my seat with a page out of her flight attendant manual.

"See, it says here that only AAirpass members receive complimentary snacks. And this is from my official manual that's even approved by the FAA."

I didn't even look at the paper.

"I'm not mad at you, and I understand you're sure it's the case that you're not supposed to comp me anything. But I also know that I've been told otherwise by other representatives of the airline, and that I've received my complimentary drink and snack every other time I've flown in coach this year. So there's obviously a miscommunication, and I know it's not your responsibility."

She said, "Fine," and walked back to the galley.

A few minutes later I went back to use the restroom, and while I was waiting near the galley, I asked the FA to see that page from her book again.

She opened her manual to the page in question, and pointed. "See, the part on comps starts here." And indeed, she was right. The section on comps to which she'd pointed only mentioned AAirpass members. I kept looking at the book while she went back to her conversation with the other FA. Thirty seconds later, I interrupted her.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I show you something?"

She turned and looked at the book, where I was pointing to a section just before the section she'd shown me. It was titled, "Onboard Benefits for Elite Members," (or something like that), and it clearly articulated the policy: Executive Platinum members flying in coach are entitled to a free drink and a free buy-on-board snack off the cart.

She was speechless for a second, and then she started apologizing. She handed me armfuls of little alcohol bottles off the cart, and asked if there was anything else she could give me. I just laughed and chatted with her for awhile. She explained that she was just coming off maternity leave (I congratulated her) and that she'd never noticed that addition to the manual. We talked for a few more minutes, during which time I casually mentioned that I'd embarrassed my wife during the whole interaction, and that my being in the doghouse was made worse by the fact that she was having trouble sleeping next to the cold emergency exit door. I'd chosen the seats (I was sure we'd be upgraded), so she was not pleased with me.

Several minutes later, when I was back in my seat, the FA appeared with a blanket (normally seven bucks or something like that) and handed it to my wife.

"Your husband was totally right and I was wrong. I'm so sorry. Hold on to this blanket and take it with you on your next flight. I see you guys have exit row seats on that plane, too."