Am I The Only One Left?

[crj567]

I guess I must be the only airline employee left who thinks it is a total D-Bag move to not tip the van driver after he does a good job getting you around safely, then carefully places your bags right at your feet for your use.

-WTF, People? When did it become O.K. to not tip these guys? (Just $1 per ride-is that really too much?)

 

[USCtrojan]

I guess I must be the only airline employee left who thinks it is a total D-Bag move to not tip the van driver after he does a good job getting you around safely, then carefully places your bags right at your feet for your use.

-WTF, People? When did it become O.K. to not tip these guys? (Just $1 per ride-is that really too much?)

And these same people (non tippers) wonder why the van driver won't take them anywhere once settled in at the hotel!?!?!?!?

Trojan

 

[Beergut]

I guess I must be the only airline employee left who thinks it is a total D-Bag move to not tip the van driver after he does a good job getting you around safely, then carefully places your bags right at your feet for your use.

-WTF, People? When did it become O.K. to not tip these guys? (Just $1 per ride-is that really too much?)

It must be whom you're flying with lately. I always tip unless they don't get their lazy a$$ out from behind the steering wheel and most of the crewmembers I've flown with do the same.

 

[ohoh]

if the van is not there within 15 minutes - no tip.

if he doesn't get out to load the bags - no tip.

 

[Dick Cabeza]

I love guys that intentionally don't tip the driver, then they BITCH when the van takes forever to pick them up at the mall or gym that the driver took them to. Or when its -10 out and the van takes an hour to get them at the airport.

Remember your not tipping as much for the drivers pocketbook, buy for your QOL. These drivers remember what crews take care of them, AND which ones do not. And I will personally tip the driver if one of my crew does not, because I do not want these cheap ba$tardsscrewing up my QOL. You just don't let them fly any legs till they pay you back...LOL

 

[kf4amu]

I dont tip if I have to wait more than about 10 minutes and they dont load my bags. If they get there after a short wait and load our bags, I always tip.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

I tip when I have money....which is rare.

 

[LazyLightnin']

Times are tough, knucklehead.

If I have cash, I tip. But at the rate of four 4 days a month, that's almost 300 hundred bucks a year. For a 10 year captain like yourself, that's pocket change... But not for the rest of us.

 

[zawillif]

If he loads/unloads the bags he gets tip. If he doesn't then he doesn't. If he drives me to/from a restaurant thats a no tip. It's his job to drive the van, that's what he gets paid for. It's not his job to load and unload bags, that's what he gets tipped for.

 

[crj567]

It must be whom you're flying with lately. I always tip unless they don't get their lazy a$$ out from behind the steering wheel and most of the crewmembers I've flown with do the same.

Right with you-

I have the exact same criteria. I rarely see a driver who won't get the bags, but they do exist (and they get nothing from me, either.) I am just amazed at the number of people I see not tipping (and many of these people are the ones who have a mommy and daddy who shelled out 200k for their schooling-most of these guys ain't broke-their trust fund is far fatter than my bank account-and their new 'vette looks pretty nice as well.)

These drivers are doing exactly the same thing as a waiter/waitress. They work for very little money, and really rely on tips. 90% of the time, my driver is polite and safe, and he usually hands my specific bags right to me. I consider this great work-and I don't mind throwing a buck his way (and not being a complete cheapskate tool.)

It is no wonder that so many everyday people have such a low opinion of pilots in general. I have been on vans many times with two or three crews-(totaling 9 or 10 people,) and seen only $2 come out of the whole group!

 

[airplane wizard]

Do the pax tip you for getting them to their destination safely????

 

[Max Q]

I've been caught without cash. Feels like crap when the guy is waiting for you at the airport and throws your bags around.

I will pay the $2.50 fee at an ATM to avoid leaving these guys without a tip.

 

[SpyFlysDOTs]

How many times on how many forums can you find this topic?

 

[waka]

if the van is not there within 15 minutes - no tip.

if he doesn't get out to load the bags - no tip.

I dont tip if I have to wait more than about 10 minutes and they dont load my bags. If they get there after a short wait and load our bags, I always tip.

It may not be the driver's fault if they're late.

 

[waka]

How many times on how many forums can you find this topic?

I give up. How many?

 

[waka]

Do the pax tip you for getting them to their destination safely????

No. Flying pax is not even comparable to driving a hotel van. Tips are essentially to encourage great service. As a pilot (if you're not corporate/charter), sometimes you don't even see the pax. I hope you don't expect a tip to do your job. What's your point again?

 

[LazyLightnin']

No. Flying pax is not even comparable to driving a hotel van. Tips are essentially to encourage great service. As a pilot (if you're not corporate/charter), sometimes you don't even see the pax. I hope you don't expect a tip to do your job. What's your point again?

And here I thought the van driver's job was to drive you to and from the airport and not collect one dollar bills.

 

[crj567]

Do the pax tip you for getting them to their destination safely????

-Do I handle their bags?

-Driving the van is the van guy's primary job. Getting the bags out and remembering which ones belong to whom is a very nice bonus-that is the reason I tip.

-Have some class, we need to represent our profesion well-especially these days.

 

[xjgearbtch]

The company has set up transportation for the crewmembers. They negotiate and PAY for the services that will be required. Our contract states that if food is not available, the hotel will provide transportation to meet the dietary needs of the crew.
When Joe the sales man takes a client out to dinner does he tip the server with his own money? NO! He adds it to the company expense report. When my airline reimburses me for tips to van drivers I will tip them. I don't pay to work, I work to get paid.
PS I waited tables for over 10 years, I know how tipping works. I always tip 20%+ because they have to claim it all. Unless you pay for the meal with a card and tip with cash, then uncle sam won't know .
Van drivers don't submit weekly tip reports to the hotel for tax purposes. If they don't get taxed on it, it's not a legal source of income.

 

[waka]

And here I thought the van driver's job was to drive you to and from the airport and not collect one dollar bills.

It can also be said that a bartenders job is to make and serve their customers' drinks, not collect one dollar bills.

 

[PositionandHold]

I rarely tip the van drivers. Their W2 prob looks better than mine.

 

[ASA_Aviator]

-Do I handle their bags?

-Have some class, we need to represent our profesion well-especially these days.

I don't know about you, but I regularly carry someone's bag down to the cargo compartment when it won't fit in the overhead (just as the FA said it wouldn't).

Anyway, I normally tip, but if I'm out of cash, I don't sweat it too much.

 

[suupah]

both sides are correct on this argument. When i was an fo suffering from teeth pain and barely making it, i sometimes didn't tip. I also never went out and spent no money on myself. Now that i am making a livable wage i tip.

 

[Flyerdan]

Not to hijack the thread but on a similar subject: Do you leave a tip for the maid when you leave your hotel room on an over night?

I ask because my Mother-in-law used to be a maid in her younger days and she says it is a pretty common practice.

I started leaving a buck but I think I am a minority.

 

[Dubya]

4 trips per hour x 4-8 crewmembers per trip = potential of $32/hr.
A driver at SFO told me while waiting for a pax one day he averages $45/hr.

Be reasonably on time, drive safely, be polite and professional, you'll get my buck. No different in any other tipping situation.


W

 

[laserman2431]

It may not be the driver's fault if they're late.

That may or may not be true. I don't really know how they work. I think there are times when the driver drops off one crew when the inbound crew will be out there in about 7 minutes. The driver just heads back to the hotel only to get called back enroute or turn around as soon as he gets back to the hotel. If these drivers had an incentive, they might use their heads a little more. Also, if they have an incentive, they might be a little more likely to confront management about what works and what doesn't. They might be more likely to watch flight aware instead of American Idol if it effects their money.

I have no way of knowing if they are part of the problem or not. Either way, if I wait more than :15, NO TIP.

If I have to load my own bag, NO TIP.

 

[PooPooPants]

The company has set up transportation for the crewmembers. They negotiate and PAY for the services that will be required. Our contract states that if food is not available, the hotel will provide transportation to meet the dietary needs of the crew.
When Joe the sales man takes a client out to dinner does he tip the server with his own money? NO! He adds it to the company expense report. When my airline reimburses me for tips to van drivers I will tip them. I don't pay to work, I work to get paid.
PS I waited tables for over 10 years, I know how tipping works. I always tip 20%+ because they have to claim it all. Unless you pay for the meal with a card and tip with cash, then uncle sam won't know .
Van drivers don't submit weekly tip reports to the hotel for tax purposes. If they don't get taxed on it, it's not a legal source of income.

As long as you're not claiming it on your taxes then I'm OK with it. I however, tip the standard $1 per ride (from the a/p, the gym or restaurant, whatever) and then deduct it on my taxes. My biggest pet peeve is waiting and for that I won't tip. If they don't load my bags, well then it depends on the driver. I wouldn't let my Grandma or my pregnant wife load my bags, would you? If she's on time I'll get my own bags and leave her the buck.

 

[say again]

It all depends on the attitude and service. I'll hand out a dollar or two dollars if it's deserved. I really don't put much thought, or care on what others do. It's a personal preference.

 

[Yodafly]

got to tip or you won't get no ride to get grub

$1 buck aint much

 

[701EV]

Cheap Ba$tard$!

It's only $6 on a 4 day trip

TIP THE VAN DRIVER!

701EV