Flying used to be pretty simple — book a flight, get on the plane, and enjoy the ride (or at least survive it). But these days, air travel feels like you’re being nickel-and-dimed for every little thing.

The latest annoyance? Getting asked to tip for in-flight snacks. One Reddit user recently shared her experience on a Frontier Airlines flight, revealing just how far the airline industry is pushing its passengers to empty their wallets. Spoiler: It involves tips, snacks, and a lot of confusion. Here’s why some people say, “This has got to stop.”

A passenger on a Frontier flight said she was forced to tip after buying a snack.

Imagine this: You’re sitting on your flight in your cramped seat, thirsty and hungry, so you decide to buy a snack and a drink. Nothing too shocking there, right? Then comes the plot twist — you swipe your card, and suddenly, you’re hit with a tip request.

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One passenger shared their experience on Reddit, admitting that they were caught off guard. “I froze and clicked one,” she said, referencing the default tip amount that automatically popped up. But the frustration didn’t end there. The passenger added, “But afterwards (and still now) I am annoyed,” clearly feeling like she’d been pushed into tipping for a service that didn’t seem worth the extra cash. After all, they’d already paid for the snack. So, why the tip?

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Tipping the flight crew for in-flight food is not widely practiced.

Frontier began this practice a few years ago, but it’s been met with criticism from passengers and travel industry experts alike. With airlines charging more for less, from snacks to extra legroom, it seems like asking passengers to tip is the latest “add-on” to your flight experience.

Tipping flight attendants is definitely not the standard, JT Genter of travel site The Points Guy told CNBC Make It. he pointed out, “I don’t mind travelers tipping flight attendants, but it comes across as unprofessional for flight attendants to be requesting tips and for their pay to be not-insignificantly tied to their on-board tips.”

In fact, according to the outlet, flight attendants on United and American Airlines are forbidden from accepting tips altogether. The Association of Flight Attendants, which advocates for 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, including Frontier, has been outspoken in their disdain for the Frontier tipping policy because it promotes lower pay for flight crew and minimizes the fact that the crew’s primary responsibility is passenger safety, not food service.

It’s not hard to see why passengers are getting annoyed, as well. When simply buying an expensive ticket doesn’t afford you even one free carry-on, the fact that you are asked to tip on a bag of pretzels, which used to be free, feels like the last straw.

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Tipping has become a major issue for Americans who are beginning to resent the practice as simply a money grab.

Here’s the deal: People are over it. The woman who shared this story on Reddit summed it up perfectly: “At what point are companies going to quit with this nonsense?” It’s a good question because more and more flyers are voicing their frustration. They’re paying for their tickets, the snacks, and sometimes even a sense of dignity — so why are they being asked to tip for the most basic service?

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As Emily Post noted, “Tipping is one of the most stressful and confusing aspects of etiquette today. It is a significant way to show appreciation for a job well done; however, treating the person who has served you with respect is every bit as important. Furthermore, praising the person himself, or, when you can, commending him to his supervisor, can go a long way toward letting him know what constitutes good service.”

Flight attendants are salaried employees. It certainly seems like a letter that specifically identified an employee’s dedication and quality of service would go much further towards helping their career than a couple bucks a passenger felt forced to give them after getting some peanuts.

Is tipping the new normal?

Unfortunately, if Frontier’s policy sticks, it seems that tipping for airline snacks and drinks might just be the next “charge” we’ll all have to get used to. And for many, that’s a bridge too far.

The idea of paying extra for a snack and then being asked to tip for its delivery is starting to feel more like a bad joke than an industry standard. As passengers grow more vocal about this trend, it’ll be interesting to see how airlines react. Will they rethink this practice, or will tipping become just another way they squeeze money from passengers? Do we even know if the flight attendants are getting the tips? One thing’s for sure: People are starting to say enough is enough.

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