Tipping the hotel van driver

[Bigey]

How could I have missed this thread.

Best post in this thread.

I'll only tip the drivers when they're really nice and drive me to a nearby restaurant - OR - they've been waiting for our crew for a long time outside AND they manage to show good attitude. Other than that, it's their duty to drive me back and forth to the airport.

I'll load my own bags, not because I'm a cheapskate, but because it's faster for me to do it and I feel terrible to give a girl or an old man a heavy bag to pick up. Would you give your wife, gf, sister, mom, daughter, grandfather a heavy bag to carry when you could do it yourself? Didn't think so.

It's not the act itself you're tipping for, it's the courtesy of the act.

So you're really telling me the one of two ways you'll tip the driver is IF they have to wait for you for a LONG TIME AND SHOW GOOD ATTITUDE? Did you want them to clean up your dog crap too?

Comon...i'll let you slide with the non-tipping of pizza drivers, but it seems that every person has to go beyond reasonable means to get a buck from you...

Would you not give a buck or two to your wife, gf, sister, mom, daughter, grandfather who showed politeness to you and tried to be on time? Didnt think so...

 

[KLB]

I usually tip shuttle drivers well. I visit the same hotels all of the time and most customer service people are on a first name basis with me be it the front desk people, waiters, and bartenders! A good attitude and a good tip gets me free stuff all of the time! So when I get the munchies at 2301 and the shuttle driver gets off at 2300, he/she will still give me a quick ride over to the burger king to get my whopper with cheese (no onions). On many occassions, they've taken me out of the normal driving area to get a good meal.

One hotel even let one of the "company's" pilots borrow the shuttle for a while.

 

[JaceTheAce]

On the rare occasion that I get to enjoy the van, I always tip at least 3 or 4 bucks, however short the ride. Those guys work their butts off and tipping is an expected courtesy. You can Mr. Pink it all you want, but in the end, it's in your best interest to get with the program. They're human beings, and human beings have memories. Not tipping is for spoiled sports stars and crapbag CEOs who think they're more important than mere mortals who actually do work.

So what about airline pilots? I guess we're not human beings since we're never tipped.

I work my butt off as a regional turboprop pilot. If I don't get any tips, the van driver gets ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Boris Badenov]

So what about airline pilots? I guess we're not human beings since we're never tipped.

*shrug* You chose a low paying job for which tipping is not an expected courtesy. You are absolutely free to be a cheap jerk, but a dollar here and there isn't going to kill you.

 

[Bigey]

So what about airline pilots? I guess we're not human beings since we're never tipped.

I work my butt off as a regional turboprop pilot. If I don't get any tips, the van driver gets ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please, please tell me you're joking...?

 

[E_Dawg]

We take care of the van drivers, FBO and hotel. $5 each way. Same if we go to dinner. $10-$20 for a lav. Sometimes $5 for a fueler if we are in are a quick turn. Over and above gets noticed. Usually $20 for a Line guy that has to stay OT for a late arrival.

To all the line guys on here: Thanks.

That's great. Does your company cover that or is that what you personally throw down? Just curious, because if your company covers it, well that's actually a pretty decent business strategy. I've been late more than a handful of times because the fueler didn't show up on time.... which I doubt would happen if he had a fiver with his name on it.

 

[JaceTheAce]

Please, please tell me you're joking...?

I am not, other than the times the van driver takes me to a restaurant or grocery store. I ALWAYS tip in that case.

I'm not tipping for required transportation to and from the airport on overnights!!! That's my employer's responsibility!

 

[BCTAv8r]

That's great. Does your company cover that or is that what you personally throw down? Just curious, because if your company covers it, well that's actually a pretty decent business strategy. I've been late more than a handful of times because the fueler didn't show up on time.... which I doubt would happen if he had a fiver with his name on it.

AFAIK, Netjets provides them with tipping money. Apparently a lot of companies do that.

 

[Bigey]

I am not, other than the times the van driver takes me to a restaurant or grocery store. I ALWAYS tip in that case.

I'm not tipping for required transportation to and from the airport on overnights!!! That's my employer's responsibility!

Does your employer give you per diem?

 

[Boris Badenov]

I'm not tipping for required transportation to and from the airport on overnights!!! That's my employer's responsibility!

Are there any other things that ought to be your employer's responsibility that you do? Some dude freezing his balls off when he's not lugging a bunch of irritated, overworked regional pilots around has nothing to do with your pay rate or work rules. He's just a dude trying to get by by doing a thankless crappy job. It seems like it's always the guys (and this isn't really directed at anyone in particular) who think pilots should be walking down red carpets everywhere we go with the mechanics walking a respectful ten paces behind who won't throw a few bucks the way of the working poor. And then get angry that the insanely overworked, massively underpaid, surly ramp guys aren't ricky-tick enough with the marshalling. I'm amazed most of these guys show up for work at all when they could be sitting warm and cozy at home on welfare. AFAIC, they deserve every good thing they get.

 

[E_Dawg]

*shrug* You chose a low paying job for which tipping is not an expected courtesy. You are absolutely free to be a cheap jerk, but a dollar here and there isn't going to kill you.

How can you blame a guy who choses not to tip. You said it yourself, tipping is a "courtesty."

Unfortunately, in the US, tipping doesn't so much say 'thank you' for good service, but is instead a tax that is thrown down to show that you're not an •. Which isn't really the point of tipping, is it.

 

[Boris Badenov]

How can you blame a guy who choses not to tip. You said it yourself, tipping is a "courtesty."

It is a courtesy. As in "something the courteous do". I'm not saying it should be "required", that's absurd. I'm saying that you're free not to tip, and I'm free to think you're a selfish jerk when you don't. Yay, America!

 

[pilotx86]

I used to tip. Then I realized that I don't get any tips for getting people safely to their destinations up to 6 times a day. Then I decided to stop unless the driver goes out of their way, takes my bags from me right out of the elevator and loads and unloads my bag, or takes me to a place that is not part of the required company provided transportation to and from the hotel.

 

[A-300F4-622R]

I am not, other than the times the van driver takes me to a restaurant or grocery store. I ALWAYS tip in that case.

I'm not tipping for required transportation to and from the airport on overnights!!! That's my employer's responsibility!

Just as in my example with the Comair crews, the van driver associated ALL Comair crews as being cheap and treated them accordingly. Not that they all were, but perception is reality.

Now here you are, not tipping any hotel driver. They are going to associate ALL Piedmont pilots as cheap and treat them accordingly. So don't complain when the driver treats you in the same manner you treat them.

 

[NJA_Capt]

Other than that, it's their duty to drive me back and forth to the airport.

Many times it is NOT, their job. Many hotels make the maintenance man, security guard, or the desk clerk go get you.

I work my butt off as a regional turboprop pilot. If I don't get any tips, the van driver gets ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I guess if your airline doesn't make any profits, they shouldn't have to pay you either? Right?

Then I realized that I don't get any tips for getting people safely to their destinations up to 6 times a day.

You don't get tips because being a "professional" pilot is a professional vocation. This isn't a blue collar job. If you want a tip, go drive a cab.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Long story short, when you don't tip to "prove a point", you're taking your rage against the job (that you signed up for) out on someone who has nothing to do with how crappy your job is. Otherwise you're just a cheap "illegitimate child". Unhappy with your pay? Go get a nursing degree. Not tipping isn't "sticking it to the man", it's just being a penny-pinching miser and sticking it to people who work a lot harder than you do for a lot less pay.

 

[JaceTheAce]

Many times it is NOT, their job. Many hotels make the maintenance man, security guard, or the desk clerk go get you.

That is NOT my problem.

 

[A-300F4-622R]

That is NOT my problem.

Your problem is entirely SELF imposed.

 

[JaceTheAce]

Just as in my example with the Comair crews, the van driver associated ALL Comair crews as being cheap and treated them accordingly. Not that they all were, but perception is reality.

Now here you are, not tipping any hotel driver. They are going to associate ALL Piedmont pilots as cheap and treat them accordingly. So don't complain when the driver treats you in the same manner you treat them.

I hope they do realize that all Piedmont pilots are cheap - cheap meaning we're earning low wages and can't afford the $336 in tips per year.

Does your employer give you per diem?

In my opinion, per diem is for food expenses that are higher than what they'd normally be when cooking your own homemade meal at home, not for tipping.



There is nothing worse than hearing that trademark dollar bill crackle sound when a pilot pulls it out of his wallet to tip a van driver, no matter how crappy the van service. I give them a "thank you and have a nice day" - that's my tip.

 

[Boris Badenov]

One will get you ten that when the non-tippers are sitting in the left seat of the 797, they'll keep their wallets closed "on principle". The irony is astounding.