Tipping hotel van drivers

[flyf15]

I'll tip if I get exceptional service or if the person does something out of the ordinary for us. But, I hate the fact that tipping seems standard, understood, and guarenteed no matter what for most people. Thats not what a tip is supposed to be for. Its not something I "just do."

Additionally, if you think about it, it really adds up. At my airline, there are CDO schedules that have 16 CDOs on them in a month. Thats 16 overnights in hotels. 32 van rides. If you tip a dollar everytime, thats $32/mo, or $384/yr. For a first year FO, $384 is almost another paycheck... or two months of crashpad rent. All for tipping people when you ride the van, even though they don't tip you when they ride your airplane?

 

[mayoplane]

It drives me nuts!

It drives me nuts that everyone wants tip nowadays. The van driver, hair stylist, hiking tour guide, a host of restraurant who takes care of your take-out, rafting tour guides..... You pay $200 for some hikig tour, and they want another $20 for tip at the end of the trip? What did that $200 take care of???

If you are a regional F/O, don't even worry about it. When I was a f/o, I tipped every time, but that's because I felt like I had to. If the Captain gives him/her a buck, that's enough. They have their hourly wage. Tipping is overrated unless they take you to a restaurant or somewhere other than the hotel/airport.

 

[Smash312]

I don't tip. I don't make enough. Period.

If someone takes me to grab some food on the way back etc. then I'll slap 'em a buck or two.

And whay does everyone here expect to be tipped. NO - I won't tip anyone else other than in a food establishment. Hairdressers, cab drivers etc, they do their job - good. If they do anything I feel is extra then sure, I'll give them a tip.

 

[RemoveB4Flght]

It drives me nuts that everyone wants tip nowadays. The van driver, hair stylist, hiking tour guide, a host of restraurant who takes care of your take-out, rafting tour guides..... You pay $200 for some hikig tour, and they want another $20 for tip at the end of the trip? What did that $200 take care of???

If you are a regional F/O, don't even worry about it. When I was a f/o, I tipped every time, but that's because I felt like I had to. If the Captain gives him/her a buck, that's enough. They have their hourly wage. Tipping is overrated unless they take you to a restaurant or somewhere other than the hotel/airport.

I agree with this... I bartendedmy way through college and know how people live and die by the tips they make.. I also know the nights I spent hitting some coed, ignoring half the bar, and still walking with a couple hundred bucks.

The other night I was out at a restaurant with my girlfriend, slow night. The hostess took our drink order, and I watched her give it to our server. She put it into the bar and then disappered in the back. After 15 minutes the bartender walked the drinks over. The girl comes out, takes our order with the monotone push for appetizers and leaves again. The assistant manager brought out the food and refilled our drinks. The girl show up 45 minutes later with our check, ignoring our empty drinks and apathetically asking us about dessert. She acted busy at the next table until i put the cash in the check holder and she swooped right back by to ask if i needed change. Nope.. cost of meal $49 + $1tip

Basically she punched in our food order and then took the money.. the same function a cashier at a grocery store would do. The manager came by, obviously at her request and asked why I left such a small tip. I said if he had to ask, then he didn't understand the concept of a tip.

If anything I usually overtip for service.. but some people just seem to expect 20% or more simply for doing the bare minimum.

 

[EWRJ0225]

I usually tip depending on the driving skills of the driver. if they drive like a crazed lunatic, acting like they are in indy 500 in a POS van with bald tires, then I dont tip. There have been several times i have feared for my life in EWR, PHL, BWI, and basically any time the guy doesnt speak english, blasts crazy mexicano music, or jokes with their buddies on their CB radio using trucker language. I did tip in Dayton the other day cause the guy did get out of bed at 3 in the morning to come pick us up. But its a freakin dollar, those van drivers make bank.

 

[AMANSWORLD]

I'm curious, should I be tipping hotel van drivers?

Thoughts:

1. I'm a new FO, I bring home a little over $200 a week. I'm not able, right now, to tip van drivers. Should I be getting dirty looks for not tipping?

2. If so, shouldn't I be tipping the bus drivers who take me to and from Camp Creek? I don't see that happening...

Why and how could one work for $200.00/week, let alone fly an airplane for that. I made more than that instructing. Where do you work?
Note to self never work for that wage.

 

[relief tube]

I'm a new FO, I bring home a little over $200 a week. I'm not able, right now, to tip van drivers. Should I be getting dirty looks for not tipping?

$200 a week...not even Mesa's that bad.

First I question if van driver's make more than first year FO's. Everyone's different, if you have been furloughed and have 3 kids and a mortgage and money is extremely tight, then that's one thing. But at the same time the only time you should consider it is if your budget is so tight that you're not going to restaurants, not having a drink at the end of the day, don't have cable,

There's many comforts that should be given up before you decide to not tip the driver. The way I see it, there's low income jobs out there you sit behind a desk, but a van driver has that same low income but he puts his butt on dangerous roads. And in a sense, he's like us in terms of having our safety in his hands. He deserves a tip.

And to answer your question, yes you do deserve looks if you don't tip. At least though you're concerned about it enough to question.

 

[BoilerUP]

If I recall correctly, you can tax deduct up to three dollars a day in gratuities.

If I have an exorbitant wait for the van, load my own bags, or the driver has a bad attitude, I'll not occasionally not tip if its over-the-top bad, but most times I still crack the wallet.

Don't be a stereotypical "cheap-ass pilot"...its only two bucks a day.

 

[xjgearbtch]

The best way I've heard it explained, is that if the employee declares their tips then I tip them. If it's a change jar at a coffee joint etc, no way. I pay taxes on every penny I earn, h@ll if I'm gonna give someone else tax free money.
The airline contracts the hotel to provide a service. The hotel then pays its employees with this contract. In no way shape or form is it my resposibility to help fund this "contract." When you rent out a banquet hall for your wedding/impending divorce do your guests pay the tip? No you set that up ahead of time with the contract.
By the way I tip 20% or better when I eat out. And waited tables while in college.

 

[XJohXJ]

If the van service is very good, and the driver loads and unloads the bags, then I'll tip. If the van isn't there when we get out to the curb, then no tip.