Gratuity/Tips

[cj610]

When your stuck out on the road, what are the standards and what do you folks do as far as tips. I'm looking for both domestic and international.

Usually I tip the van driver (from airport to hotel) a buck a head($2-pilot/co-pilot). Waitress at restraunt, the typical 15%(as long as she keeps my ice-tea filled). At hotel I leave $1 or two for house keeping.

As the captain, I usually did the tipping for the van driver. On eating, many times I paid for the meal if the person I was flying w/ covered the tip. Thats just what I did. Maybe I'm cheap. Thats why I'm inquiring. What do you, and the people you fly w/, usually do?

 

[English]

Here's what I do. (Disclaimer: My upbringing on the road was largely influenced by captains at American Eagle...call me cheap if you will...)

I tip van drivers one dollar per bag for both myself and the copilot, if I have one. I tip bellmen the same. I usually carry my own bags upstairs but if it's someplace ritzy I follow the crowd and let the bellmen take care of it for me. Nothing to housekeeping.

At the airport, I tip the rampies at the FBO if they load/unload the bags onto the airplane for me. If they just roll the cart out I don't tip at all. Minimum tip for these guys is 5 dollars. If golf bags are included I tip 10. Usually the passenger witnesses this and tips on top of this.

International trips, I also tip the handler, even though it is supposedly included in the handling fees. Especially in Mexico, everyone seems to have their hand out. So I tip the handler generously and ask him to take care of everyone else (the guy who brings the ice and coffee out, the rampies who load the baggage, etc.)

Every other week I fill out an expense report and get reimbursed for the cash tips. The exception is on trips to Mexico where we carry a load of "petty" cash with us, then return what's left over.

Restaurants minimum of 15%, 20% if the service was good.

However, the pilots get tipped the best!

 

[metrodriver]

see thread in Regional pilots

 

[flybynightly]

O.K. the $64,000 question; would you still tip if the company didn't reimburse you for it? I know I would still pay the customary tips like restaurants but the line guys would be making nothing extra!

As far as tipping the handlers in foreign countries, this is a definite must. These people will make the difference between everything going smoothly or nothing goes your way. Remeber, bribery is an accepted practice in Mexico.

 

[XLR8]

I've decided that as a poor FO, I don't make enough to be tipping everyone that lifts a bag for me. I usually try to get the bags myself.

The way I see it, I didn't ask to be at this hotel....I'm working, if I was on vacation, then I may start tipping but not when I'm working.