In a recent TikTok video that has garnered over 6.7 million views, a Delta passenger named Natalie Loureda (@natalieloureda) documented a rather unpleasant interaction with a flight attendant over her quest to collect pilot trading cards.
The video, posted on Feb. 2, begins mid-conversation with the flight attendant who had already refused Natalie’s request to approach the pilot about the cards. “But that’s what they’ve told me on my past flights today,” Natalie says, to which the attendant dismissively responds, “You know they are worthless, right?”
Natalie, who identifies herself as a TikTok creator, retorts, “I know but it’s something that I collect. And I’m a creator on TikTok, and I make videos on it and it gets a lot of views and that’s what I do so, that’s why I fly Delta.”
The video’s description reads, “When you’ve gone on delta 3 flights today trying to [collect] #pilottradingcards and the flight attendant tells you that they’re worthless.”
@natalieloureda When youve gone on delta 3 flights today trying to colelct #pilottradingcards and the flight attendant tells you that theyre worthles😔 #sad #cardcollection ♬ original sound – Natalie🩵🇨🇺
The video has since gone viral, with many viewers going to the comment section to offer support to the TikToker and express outrage about the flight attendants’ comments.
One user wrote, “Just now learning pilot trading cards are a thing??”
Another commented, “I fly delta and pilots seem to love when people ask for them” to which Natalie responded, “Every pilot I have spoken to gets so excited! It’s the flight attendants.”
One user criticized the flight attendant’s comment, saying, “‘You know it’s worthless’ is so mean to say about someone collectibles.”
Another user claimed, “my brother is a delta pilot and he also gets excited when someone asks! i told him to always bring a stack with him bc it blew up on tiktok!”
One more chimed in, saying: “i flew delta recently and the flight attendants were so rude to me about it too! i had to go through 3 diff ppl, finally one was nice enough to bring me a stack, they def need to be more attentive.”
Delta Airlines created these pilot trading cards more than 20 years ago as a way of capitalizing on the enthusiasm surrounding aviation. Reddit users say the best time to ask is during the flight by alerting a crew member. However, others have had the same problem as Loureda and been denied after asking during the deplaning process.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Natalie Loureda via her email but has not received a reply by press time.