Tipping

Nick said:
Do you tip the chef and the restaurant owner, or just the waitstaff?

Just the waitstaff, of course.

I don't like that we are a tipping society but we are. Until we are like most of Asia with zero tipping, this is the system we use. Per diem is meant to cover incidental travel expenses like a whopping $2 round trip tip for a layover.
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Asia's a big place. In Korea, no, except on rare occasions for purposes of potlatch-like invidious distinction and sometimes cabbies. Japan, I've never seen it. Just about everywhere else, oh yeah, there's tipping. It's just different than it is here. In restaurants, for instance, often the tip is included in the price. In China you'll usually note that an item in Chinese will cost less than the same item in Engrish. Tip's included.
 
Crop Duster said:
Asia's a big place. In Korea, no, except on rare occasions for purposes of potlatch-like invidious distinction and sometimes cabbies. Japan, I've never seen it. Just about everywhere else, oh yeah, there's tipping. It's just different than it is here. In restaurants, for instance, often the tip is included in the price. In China you'll usually note that an item in Chinese will cost less than the same item in Engrish. Tip's included.
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Yes, I'm just saying in general. I was mostly thinking of Japan actually.
 
scooter2525 said:
Eh. Customary set by who? I'll tip if they load and grab the bags. A little more in fact the other day when they were very heavy, it was cold and snowing.
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Ahhh, that is what I said as well.

Did reading comprehension fail just in an attempt to bust my chops?
 
Seggy said:
Ahhh, that is what I said as well.

Did reading comprehension fail just in an attempt to bust my chops?
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Honestly, I wanted clarification on the "professionalism" part. Not looking to bust your chops and more than likely I probably missed that part being it was late and my brain is fried. Either way, my take on tipping is when the situation warrants and not when it's "customary". In uniform or not.

Also, seems to be that @SurferLucas would be all over your chops.
 
learhawkerbe400 said:
I hope you people who don't tip aren't wearing pilot costumes. If you are you not only make yourself look like a cheap ass but the rest of the profession too. It's a dollar. Get over yourselves.
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I agree to an extent but there's more to it. If I get on the hotel van and have to hold on for dear life during the ride and it's 20 degrees and the heater never turns on and my bags aren't lifted in and out of the back, I don't think I'm being cheap if I don't want to give the guy a dollar. And what's more, I really don't think it's fair to think someone's cheap for doing that. Good, or even reasonably decent service? Sure I'm happy to tip, I think it's the right thing to do.
 
Dan208B said:
I agree to an extent but there's more to it. If I get on the hotel van and have to hold on for dear life during the ride and it's 20 degrees and the heater never turns on and my bags aren't lifted in and out of the back, I don't think I'm being cheap if I don't want to give the guy a dollar. And what's more, I really don't think it's fair to think someone's cheap for doing that. Good, or even reasonably decent service? Sure I'm happy to tip, I think it's the right thing to do.
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Agreed if they try and kill you or made zero effort to be helpful I'd make an exception.
 
learhawkerbe400 said:
To be fair, you're still cheap.
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Yeah I agree.

I had no issues tipping everybody and their brother for doing pretty much anything prior to entering the airlines. But first year FO pay has made me go into survival mode.

My first of the month check month was for 480 dollars. My student loan payment was over 700. If Joe blow hotel van driver wants a dollar he can go ask the company who requires me to use his contracted services for it.

When or if my financial position changes he will probably be getting that dollar but out of the kindness of my heart not because he should be entitled to it.

Now taking me somewhere other than what's contracted by the company and the hotel yeah I always take care of them.
 
dbrault17 said:
Yeah I agree.

I had no issues tipping everybody and their brother for doing pretty much anything prior to entering the airlines. But first year FO pay has made me go into survival mode.

My first of the month check month was for 480 dollars. My student loan payment was over 700. If Joe blow hotel van driver wants a dollar he can go ask the company who requires me to use his contracted services for it.

When or if my financial position changes he will probably be getting that dollar but out of the kindness of my heart not because he should be entitled to it.

Now taking me somewhere other than what's contracted by the company and the hotel yeah I always take care of them.
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I know regional fos don't make any money. I feel your pain. But most still tip.
 
I have a question for those of you that tip two dollars, are you generally in a van full of other flight and cabin crewmembers? I usually tip five dollars if there is another crew in the van, or ten if it's just two of us ( we fly a Hawker, no F/A ).
 
dbrault17 said:
Yeah I agree.

I had no issues tipping everybody and their brother for doing pretty much anything prior to entering the airlines. But first year FO pay has made me go into survival mode.

My first of the month check month was for 480 dollars. My student loan payment was over 700. If Joe blow hotel van driver wants a dollar he can go ask the company who requires me to use his contracted services for it.

When or if my financial position changes he will probably be getting that dollar but out of the kindness of my heart not because he should be entitled to it.

Now taking me somewhere other than what's contracted by the company and the hotel yeah I always take care of them.
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This is exactly right. You're required to get into that van. You have no choice in the matter... Broke RJ FO's should not be tipping, nor should flight attendants IMO. As a reserve FO that tipping could be the equivalent to half a month's pay (after tax) by the end of a year.

Whenever possible I get the door and my bags. I don't need someone doing that for me, thanks.

If I have the driver take me somewhere not required by work I'll tip.. Should be common sense..

learhawkerbe400 said:
I know regional fos don't make any money. I feel your pain. But most still tip.
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If thats the case, most are irresponsible with their finances too. Living at or below the poverty level and tipping $30/month while on company time is foolish.
 
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juxtapilot said:
This is exactly right. You're required to get into that van. You have no choice in the matter...
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Honestly, I have to agree with this. As much as I like tipping (And I do...), I think it's ridiculous to tip out of your own pocket for company-required things.

When I travel for pleasure, do I tip? Absolutely, and I tip well.
When I (used to, heh heh) travel on business, did I tip? I did tip. When I did my expenses after the trip, however, there was always a column for tips, and the company paid me back for them in full.

If the company required me to get on a shuttle to go to a company function, would I tip? Under no circumstances would I think that was appropriate.

While I fully support tipping, expecting someone to tip out of their own pocket for a service they're obligated to use isn't forcing "good manners", nor espousing "professional conduct." Not in my eyes, anyway.

-Fox
 
juxtapilot said:
This is exactly right. You're required to get into that van. You have no choice in the matter... Broke RJ FO's should not be tipping, nor should flight attendants IMO. As a reserve FO that tipping could be the equivalent to half a month's pay (after tax) by the end of a year.

Whenever possible I get the door and my bags. I don't need someone doing that for me, thanks.

If I have the driver take me somewhere not required by work I'll tip.. Should be common sense..



If thats the case, most are irresponsible with their finances too. Living at or below the poverty level and tipping $30/month while on company time is foolish.
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The company pays you to tip. It is called per diem, which is not only tax free, but you can claim any differences in your tax return.
 
Seggy said:
The company pays you to tip. It is called per diem, which is not only tax free, but you can claim any differences in your tax return.
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Fair point. So lets take this one step further. You get out of the van, and realize you don't have any cash. Do you borrow a buck from another crewmember?
 
montanapilot said:
its amazing how many cheap skates there are here. Having paid for quite a bit of my flight training using tips its easy for us to forget how many people depend on tips to get by.

Throwing the van driver a buck isn't gonna bankrupt any of us. Its what per diem is for. Plus you get to write that tip off on your taxes.
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Flew with a flight attendant recently, all kinds of drama, but long story short, she had about 10 bucks to her name... Should she tip?
 
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