Cheap pilots

[radarlove]

At the risk of turning this into another mil/civ debate, I've noticed that the military guys are by far the worst at tipping. I've been trying to figure out why--it's not because they can't afford it, I think that there's just something that they HATE about tipping.

I've had lots of conversations where a military guy's eyes got wide and they said, "Do you have to tip them?"

So for whatever reason, those guys hate to tip. Maybe because they're cheap, or maybe because of something to do with their culture.

 

[BVT94]

No moron. I do seperate checks.

Just ask for your dollar back...Moron

 

[SkiFishFly]

Bs

I call bs on the post about mil guys.
Mil guys know how to tip and obtw - if you are retired mil you are drawing a pension and can afford to tip.
I am pretty generous with tips (unless the service is really poor) My dad owned a small family restaurant and I know what the job is like.
I wonder if a lot of people realize that wait staff at a lot of places don't even get paid minimum wage. Their tips are expected to bring them up to minimum.
I have to agree with the original post - I've flown with a few "cheap" capts over the last year. I've even met a few who will stay at a crappy hotel while in ATL just to save 20 a night - Cmon man loosen up a bit you are makin over 100k a year. Life is too short to put up with crap hotels and ********************ty beds.

 

[DrewBlows]

About the tipping hotel van drivers issue, not to be a d*ck, but you shouldn't have to pay anything at all when that kind of transportation is being done for your job. Your airline should cover that cost.

They do, it's called per diem. That's why it's not taxed.

 

[DrewBlows]

I flew with a Captain who bragged to Flight Attendants that he didn't have to spend any money on a four day trip. He lived on bologna sandwiches and free breakfast. Yum! What made me shake my head was that he would walk around the van driver to load and unload his own bags in order to avoid tips. I thought maybe it was an anomaly the first time, but I saw this bizarre behavior exhibited time and time again. "Pathetic" is the most appropriate word I think.

 

[radarlove]

I call bs on the post about mil guys.
Mil guys know how to tip and obtw - if you are retired mil you are drawing a pension and can afford to tip.
I am pretty generous with tips (unless the service is really poor) My dad owned a small family restaurant and I know what the job is like.

I think your experience is a little different, since you grew up in a tipping environment. I have yet to meet a single military pilot who ever worked in a tipped position. That's not to say that there aren't any, just that it's mighty rare. Civ guys that worked their way up the food chain seem to have a little more knowlege about why and how to tip.

 

[DIAMONDDD]

Removed....

 

[El Pobre]

Hmmm,

O.K. I'll take the bait...Military guy here....I worked 40 hours a week in high school as a waiter (a tipping position) in order to afford college in order to afford my first year of college. Fortunately it panned out and I was able to get a scholorship for the last three years.

My experience with military guys, is that they tip just fine. I personally tip a bit higher than most (if the service is adequate) probably because I waited tables for so long. But all in all, the guys that I went on the road with tipped pretty well.

Since we're into it, I also notice that on layovers, former military guys are alot quicker and more generous about buying a few rounds of hops, than most of the civil only guys that I have flown with, not all but in general.

Anyhow, to get off this thread, here is a question that I have always had.

What is the proper amount to tip a driver to and from the airport? Assuming a 2 or a 3 man crew. I usually give 2-3 dollars for the whole crew when it's my turn to tip. (that's probably about .50 a bag, but the guys aren't bringing the stuff up to the room either). just wondering.

Final Point....guys are either good guys or jerks, regardless of background, every profession has more of the former and a few of the latter.

 

[El Pobre]

Wow! I should have read my post before hitting the send button, the spelling sucks and frankly the sentence structure isn't all that well either. I guys the ol' brain to fingers to keyboard connection is running a bit slow today.

Cheers!

 

[1st Overnite]

I think the amount a person tips doesn't depend on Mil or Civ, but on the jobs the individual had in the past. Guys that have worked for tips, generally tip more. But then there are the few that are really cheap because they are jerks.