Tipping FBO workers

I'll tip the line guys if they do a good job. Attitude is a key facor, and I know some of those guys have to put up with a lot of crap from pilots that are arrogant as hell, or corporate jerks/owners that look down their nose at everyone.

Plus my company reimburses me, so it's no biggie to me, yet it can mean a lot to them.
 
SIUav8er said:
Now, if only the pax would start tipping the crew!
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dc3flyer said:
It seems a lot of passengers will tip line guys for pulling their car around and helping with the bags. It is nice to see, but I helped with the bags too, plus safely flew them around the country and I rarely see tips.
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I was under the impression that you guys were tipped most of the time. At least that is what I see at my airport. I always see QS crews getting tipped, usually right along with us after loading baggage into their cars.
 
BCTAv8r said:
I was under the impression that you guys were tipped most of the time. At least that is what I see at my airport. I always see QS crews getting tipped, usually right along with us after loading baggage into their cars.
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The tipping of crews seems to come in spurts for us . . . I haven't seen a tip in over a year! Even then, I would say I average 1-2 tips per year, so definately not anything to bank on for retirement.

Netjets knows that we have to "grease the gears" to keep our operation running as smoothly as possible. As far as tipping the line guys, how much I tip depends on how many trips back and forth to the aircraft I request of them. For example, I will usually request: coffee/ice/papers, catering, and a hand vacuum (if needed), and then tip the line guy $5. If I don't ask for one of these things, and find at a later time that I need it (ie. vacuum), I'll tip again for asking the guy run back in and getting it for me. Lavs always go for $10-20, depending on how big of a "mess" is back there! :eek:
 
NightCargo said:
The tipping of crews seems to come in spurts for us . . . I haven't seen a tip in over a year! Even then, I would say I average 1-2 tips per year, so definately not anything to bank on for retirement.

Netjets knows that we have to "grease the gears" to keep our operation running as smoothly as possible. As far as tipping the line guys, how much I tip depends on how many trips back and forth to the aircraft I request of them. For example, I will usually request: coffee/ice/papers, catering, and a hand vacuum (if needed), and then tip the line guy $5. If I don't ask for one of these things, and find at a later time that I need it (ie. vacuum), I'll tip again for asking the guy run back in and getting it for me. Lavs always go for $10-20, depending on how big of a "mess" is back there! :eek:
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See, I am just the opposite. I can count on one hand how many times I've had a line guy/gal that knew how to do a lav service. I am always the one that "goes fishing". Now, if somebody knows what they are doing and goes above and beyond, I have no problems whatsoever of spending the company's money for tips. Yes, we get reimbursed. But, over the 15ish months I've been doing charter, I can honestly say I have trained more line guys and gals in how to do a lav or even operate the sigle point refueling panel than knew what they were doing.

KNow what you are doing, and I'll gladly grease the palm. Otherwise, I'll be polite and continue doing line person training, and go along my merry way.

I will say I always give the line guys/gals the leftover catering. I will spend the company's money on food and give back to the line personnel. You have to earn a tip, though.

As for us, tips are sporadic. I've been on a 4 day trip and made $500 with a couple of different customers (on very easy trips, BTW). I've also been on a drought, and have been without a tip in about a month now. Go figure. The longest I've went without tips is about 2 months, but then again, I've had a lot of time off recently...

Edited to add...if you hook us up with Atlantic Bucks and help me personally with some good hand cleaner, yes, you will get a good tip. Thanks guys at MSY several months ago!!!
 
Stone Cold said:
See, I am just the opposite. I can count on one hand how many times I've had a line guy/gal that knew how to do a lav service. I am always the one that "goes fishing". Now, if somebody knows what they are doing and goes above and beyond, I have no problems whatsoever of spending the company's money for tips. Yes, we get reimbursed. But, over the 15ish months I've been doing charter, I can honestly say I have trained more line guys and gals in how to do a lav or even operate the sigle point refueling panel than knew what they were doing.
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It should go without saying that at the very minimum, you should be able to ask a line person to do a job without having to teach him/her. The only thing I ask crews when doing a lav is how much blue juice they'd like back in. I have a good idea of how much each aircraft takes but I still find that the number varies from crew to crew. The crews seem to like it when we ask them before they tell us anyways. I don't have much experience with going inside the aircraft and pulling out a lav but that's because the crew usually does that for us.
 
BCTAv8r said:
I was under the impression that you guys were tipped most of the time. At least that is what I see at my airport. I always see QS crews getting tipped, usually right along with us after loading baggage into their cars.
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Depends on the place you work at I guess. At my company the owner has told our customers specifically NOT to tip us, and I've heard that that is not uncommon with some charter organizations.
 
BCTAv8r said:
It should go without saying that at the very minimum, you should be able to ask a line person to do a job without having to teach him/her. The only thing I ask crews when doing a lav is how much blue juice they'd like back in. I have a good idea of how much each aircraft takes but I still find that the number varies from crew to crew. The crews seem to like it when we ask them before they tell us anyways. I don't have much experience with going inside the aircraft and pulling out a lav but that's because the crew usually does that for us.
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Next time I'm in BCT (or where ever you are working now), you can probably expect a tip. I've even had to teach people how to connect a GPU and turn on said GPU, so I had power (which side is the fueling and GPU plug on a 60? I'm sure you know. A lot out there don't, even at frequent Lear 60 spots). How sad is that? I know they were supposed to be trained on the equipment...I did line service (at DFW a long long time ago). It's actually pretty sad nowadays...good for you Brian for having a clue. It's all I can ask for!!

Here is a good story to go along with this discussion...I won't reveal where we were, but there was new management at an FBO I stopped in. We were a quick turn, called in asking for fuel, and a GPU. We get down, get pax off, and I'm talking to the line guys. I say we need fuel and a GPU and we'll be out of there. The manager of the FBO says "well, we can do all of that, I think, but you'll have to tell me, what is a GPU"? I kid you not. I then had to show him what his GPU was and it was a plug in the wall type, with not enough cord, so we took our fuel, with me showing them how to do the panel, and we left.
 
Number1atNumber2 said:
Depends on the place you work at I guess. At my company the owner has told our customers specifically NOT to tip us, and I've heard that that is not uncommon with some charter organizations.
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Not for us. We are allowed to accept tips. Of course, the owner of the company flies also, and appreciates tips. I would feel bad being the owner of a 7 airplane charter company and receiving tips...butI digress.
 
I don't know what the hell you guys are talking about. Of course you tip the line guys! I made less than $10/hr after over a year working at a large FBO. Attrition at large FBOs is horrendous.

Now, for a corporate pilot to say he deserves tips more... I beg to differ. As little as we think we make as pilots, the line guys are far below. I don't even make $20k yet but I will always tip line guys. The NetJets guys have it right, and I guarantee they receive much better service as a result.
 
AnotherPilot said:
I don't know what the hell you guys are talking about. Of course you tip the line guys! I made less than $10/hr after over a year working at a large FBO. Attrition at large FBOs is horrendous.

Now, for a corporate pilot to say he deserves tips more... I beg to differ. As little as we think we make as pilots, the line guys are far below. I don't even make $20k yet but I will always tip line guys. The NetJets guys have it right, and I guarantee they receive much better service as a result.
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Read the story above and tell me you'd tip the line guy. I'm just charter, not corporate, but I will not tip somebody that doesn't know how to do their job. If they have a clue, I'll be more than happy to help them out. I'm not asking for tips, but appreciate them. I know line guys get tipped by almost all of our customers, and we get tipped rarely. I agree with the guy above that said we just flew you across the country, dodged t-storms, provided as good a ride as possible, and they tip the line guys that pushed the baggage cart into the building that I loaded for them, along with me teaching them how to operate their equipment. Yes, I will say I have earned more tips that went to line guys than the line guys earned. And, I don't make that much money. I earn a living, but will not provide tips to people that have no clue how to do their jobs. I will tip people easily if they have a clue and provide the services required of an FBO.
 
AnotherPilot said:
I don't know what the hell you guys are talking about. Of course you tip the line guys! I made less than $10/hr after over a year working at a large FBO. Attrition at large FBOs is horrendous.
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Then get another job if you don't like the pay. When my budget outgrew what I was making as a line guy, I went to another job.

I don't understand people who think that service jobs like that mandate tips.
 
Sisson2011 said:
When you're flying your private plane or even corporate pilots do you tip the local FBO hand that marshals you in and takes care of you? Is it customary. My friend and I got to discussing it earlier and we were curious.

Thanks!

Matthew Sisson
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First, most of the people on the line and at the desk wear name tags. It continues to amaze me how they react when you use their name when you ask for things.

Second, $5 is not much but it does make them remember you, especially when you add it to "Thanks, Mike.." or whatever the name is.

Third, when you use the crew car for lunch, ask the desk if you can bring anything back. Most often they will say 'No' but I have brought back some chocolates, some baklava or something tasty and they remember us the next time we are there AND they will listen when we have to say something didn't go right.

You make them feel important or recognize their efforts and they will remember you.
 
I just thought of more to add to this thread. We frequent Marco Island, Fl in the winter. The line staff there is amazing, they have a tiny ramp to work with and a constant flow of business jets and other small aircraft. Since it is normally in the 30s at home I like to wash the airplane while we are down there. They take time out of their busy schedules to move the airplane over to the wash rack for me, get the hose out, and sometimes a brush if I forget mine. One time the airplane was in the back of a group of 6 airplanes, the guy had to move 4 other planes to get mine from the back and did it all with a smile and positive attitude. Any time I am there I bring them pizzas for lunch and do my best to take care of them. One line guy is a riddle graduate with all of his ratings, so any time we take a day trip I bring him along and let him fly. They go out of their way for me and I really do appretiate it. The service there is above and beyond any other FBO I have been too. Now Signature on the other hand....

Alex.
 
Stone Cold said:
I've even had to teach people how to connect a GPU and turn on said GPU, so I had power (which side is the fueling and GPU plug on a 60? I'm sure you know. A lot out there don't, even at frequent Lear 60 spots). How sad is that? I know they were supposed to be trained on the equipment...I did line service (at DFW a long long time ago). It's actually pretty sad nowadays...good for you Brian for having a clue. It's all I can ask for!!
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All Single pilot Lears are under the #2 engine, slightly over the wing. Bad place if you ask me. Its really awkward to get the single point in there.

The lav on a lear has some weird adapter on it if I remember right, Its been a year since I've worked on the line, and i don't remember everything.

NOt knowing how to operate the FBOs equipment is just unexcuseable.

The tips were nice last summer, I probably averaged 100 bucks a week, Plus all the leftover catering.
 
I noticed with the group of guys I worked with, the ones who were interested/associated with aviation didn't expect tips, though the ones who were just there for the job thought they should be tipped for everything, including fueling the flight school airplanes. Guys would complain about being bored, then a plane would show up, complain about having to do something, then complain about not being tipped for getting up for the first time in 3 hours. Some days you might work like crazy for 8 hours plus, some days you might be there for 8 hours and do an hours worth of work. Our FBO was poorly staffed, guys were busting their butts, but I don't think we deserved tips. It's a reflection of the company, not just the effort. I loved tips when I got them, but I knew that at times we were not providing very good service, and would never expect a tip. With our insane ramp fees I wouldn't expect anybody to drop an extra dime. A simple thank you can go a long way though, if earned.
 
I would have to say that tipping is not a requirement.
Having said that...If the company I fly for reimbursed our tip money I would be re-distributing the wealth more often, but as it stands they will only do that on international trips (you can't get anything done south of the boarder without another $10 to the rampie who gets bags, $10 to the Lav guy, $10 to the fuel truck, $10 to the counter worker, and occasionally $50-100 to the handler). Inside the states, if the FBO workers do something above and beyond I will shell out a 10 for their hard work. I don't expect a tip from our customers, and feel its the same when I am a customer.
Several of our regular customers will do the tipping on the way out though. Just the other day a ramp attendant saw our customer coming, grabbed a cart, helped out with the bags from the car to the plane, and was "Johnny on the Spot," and our pax recognized it and threw him a bone. I would have definatly thrown him a tip if the pax didn't take care of it.
 
shinysideup said:
I would have to say that tipping is not a requirement.
Having said that...If the company I fly for reimbursed our tip money I would be re-distributing the wealth more often, but as it stands they will only do that on international trips (you can't get anything done south of the boarder without another $10 to the rampie who gets bags, $10 to the Lav guy, $10 to the fuel truck, $10 to the counter worker, and occasionally $50-100 to the handler). Inside the states, if the FBO workers do something above and beyond I will shell out a 10 for their hard work. I don't expect a tip from our customers, and feel its the same when I am a customer.
Several of our regular customers will do the tipping on the way out though. Just the other day a ramp attendant saw our customer coming, grabbed a cart, helped out with the bags from the car to the plane, and was "Johnny on the Spot," and our pax recognized it and threw him a bone. I would have definatly thrown him a tip if the pax didn't take care of it.
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Boy ain't that the truth! Although tipping the customs guys isn't exactly a good idea. ;)
 
I'm a lineman at a pretty small airport in Wisconsin and haven't ever been given a cash tip before. I get some uneaten catering about once a week but no money. My whole crew here was even recognized in an aviation magazine for our outstanding customer service.
 
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