If the fuel hadn't been donated and the pilots weren't volunteering their time (which wasn't widely known at first) I could see it as a waste given the company is trying to conserve cash. IMO most pilots wouldn't understand the mixed message. Even those who didn't "approve" of the flyby wouldn't dissaprove on the grounds that AOC stated. That it burns fuel (pollutes) over vulnerable communities. That's just a silly reason but par for the course in AOC-speak.