Cheap pilots

[1st Overnite]

One thing I have noticed about pilots is how amazingly cheap some are. These are guys making great money, but act as if they can't afford to see one penny leave their hand. I flew with one guy who would only eat at fast food resturants because he didn't want to spend his perdiem. The one time he did go out to a normal resturant with the crew, he ordered a meal off of the childrens menu because it was cheaper. No joke. I was hoping the resturant wouldn't give it to him. It was embarassing to watch. I had another captain show me pictures of his 5800 sq ft house, his vacation home, and his corvettes, yet he would barely tip 10% at a resturant when he went out to eat and rarely gave a proper tip to the hotel van drivers. He was another one that usually would only eat a value meal at McDonalds to save perdiem money. If there was free food at a hotel, he would take off on a sprint like Carl Lewis at a track meet to take advantage of it. Maybe you acquire houses and cars by not letting money go, but fast food all of the time can't be healthy. Plus he's making 200K while the van drivers and waitresses are probably struggling to make ends meet. Don't be cheap with them.

Another thing that irks me is the guys that are condesending and rude to the hotel staff, ground crew and others that don't treat him like the royalty he thinks he is. They are self-centered and think the world revolves around them. Do doctors, lawyers, salesmen, etc have the same percentage of people like this? Don't get me wrong, I love working with my pilot brothers and sisters, but these types give us a bad name.

 

[75M]

Agreed...but I hope it's not all of us. One of the best pieces of advice that I got early on was to spend my per diem. Forty two bucks a day ain't that hard to spend. If I have a short layover on day one, I'll make up for it on day two.

As far as the treatment of the ground crew, hotel staff, etc., I can't think of a better way to advertise to the world that you're a jerk than to treat other people in a rude or condescending manner.

 

[Ualexpress]

I had another captain show me pictures of his 5800 sq ft house, his vacation home, and his corvettes, yet he would barely tip 10% at a resturant when he went out to eat and rarely gave a proper tip to the hotel van drivers..

That is why he won't spend his per diem. The guy needs every last penny to pay for the above luxuries! I don't know where you work but lets just assume the captain makes six figures. I am sorry, but a $100,000 or even a $130,000 a year job is not enough money for the above luxries, plus a family, plus saving for retirement, plus saving for college for the kids, plus a car for the wife, plus other costs associated with living a normal life. That is the problem with alot of people in this country they live up to and beyond their means just to keep up with the Joneses. Now if he were single or had a wife that worked a good job with no kids, maybe. Then the guy is cheap. But my guess he is in debt up to his eyeballs. Tell him to read "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. The book helps people who have tried to keep up with the Joneses all their life and are so strangled with debt that they are sick and tired of being sick and tired! Now I will get off my soapbox.

 

[ils2minimums]

So what? There are over 6 BILLION people on the planet, and you're worrying about what some D0UCHE pilot tips waiters and van drivers? The world would be a lot better place if folks would just MTOFB...

 

[HA25]

The sad thing is of all professions where perdiem is critical.. pilot is the most in my opinion as we're out so much. YET.. pilots for the most part get no where near what the IRS perdiem value is for where they go.. Take where I am now for example. EDDF (Frankfurt).. I'm getting a meager $55/day here, but the IRS/State Dept figure for Germany is closer to $200/day.. The dinner I just ate out at a local "Crew friendly" restaurant had a tab of 22 Euro.. or about $30.. that's just one meal.. forget internet service for 15Euro, breakfast and lunch for another 20 Euro.. etc..

The good news is we can use Pro-Diem and other tax outfits to get some of that back on our taxes.. but should the people of the US really be subsidizing the lack of a proper per-diem pay by the truly "cheap" airlines?

But yes, I agree some well paid pilots are indeed embarrassingly cheap.

 

[whymeworry?]

Do doctors, lawyers, salesmen, etc have the same percentage of people like this?

In a word, Yes.

 

[1st Overnite]

So what? There are over 6 BILLION people on the planet, and you're worrying about what some D0UCHE pilot tips waiters and van drivers? The world would be a lot better place if folks would just MTOFB...

I'm not worried about these people. I will lose no sleep thinking about these people. This is a forum where people post their thoughts. Why are you in such a bad mood? Don't worry, maybe Duke won't choke in the first round next year.

 

[aerobato]

If you feel guilty about your tip, you're being cheap.

 

[Hovernut]

Tell him to read "The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. The book helps people who have tried to keep up with the Joneses all their life and are so strangled with debt that they are sick and tired of being sick and tired! Now I will get off my soapbox.

Excellent advice! I read "Financial Peace Planner" by Dave and listen to his radio talk show every once in a while. He gives out great information, and thanks to his advice, I'm debt-free and loving it!

Clark Howard (www.clarkhoward.com) of WSB-750 Atlanta is another one that'll save you tons of money as well.

Nothing like $crewing the credit card companies by paying them off at the end of the month! They used to love me...now they hate my guts!

 

[deadstick]

I had another captain show me pictures of his 5800 sq ft house...

...now in the posession of the FIRST wife...

his vacation home...

...lost his one to the SECOND one...

and his corvettes,...

...and these are parked in front of the above homes...

The pictures and the perdiem is all that he gets to keep every month.

Aviation-Induced Divorce Syndrome