Tipping

[Timebuilder]

The subject was GIVING tips, not getting them. If you, as a pilot, EXPECT to get tips, and harbor feelings of being slighted by not being tipped by the owner/customer because they can afford to pay the bills for your kerosene-powered ride, and most of which ride in limos (big deal), then you are most definitely in the wrong business.

Sorry, my bad. I thought the name of the thread was "Tipping". I was inspired by the reference to the crusty old captain, and yes, I do tip, even at my low wage.

If the owner/customer is paying anywhere near the standard wage, I agree that tipping is not expected. The fact is that the individual I was referencing gets first class treatment. And, yes, he tips the limo driver, who makes three times what he pays me to act as a crewmember on his jet. This guy sees fit to pay a pittance for his jet, just like a restaurant pays below mimimum for its wait staff.

Class envy (no matter how much you are making), really has no place in the corporate aviation world, much like an "us vs. management" attitude has no place in it either. Salaried employees, even "below industry standard ones", don't normally recieve tips.

No class envy here. He's a schmuck, if you are familiar with yiddish. I don't envy anything about this miserable sob.

If you are flying jets for charter and EXPECT tips like a waiter, then I assume you split your tips with the mechanic back home,

Poor analogy, since the mechanic makes twice what I do. I'm merely pointing out that I'm driving a flying limousine, when you come right down to it. My mimimum tip for my limosine driver, when I would hire one, was $150 for the evening. That was back in 1984, too. He was a salaried employee of the limousine company, too.

A customer already shelled out big bucks for the aircraft and crew..

If only that were true...

Do passengers hand tips through an airliner cockpit door, even when some of those pax could be worth a few mil themselves? Would you feel the same way if you saw an airline passenger climbing into a limo curbside? I doubt it.

An interesting mix of apples and oranges. Does the passenger own the airliner, and pay you below standard? I doubt it.

 

[Vandal]

As a current line guy I can tell you we don't expect tips from GA. But it really does suck when we bring a rental car out to a jet, unload all the bags and bring out their catering and then only get a quick nod from the passenger. The other chief complaint is when the fractional pilots that we are always driving out to the hotels tip you 2 bucks for the drive. They would have to pay at least 5 for a cab ride, and its not like it's their money anyway. I just call em cabs now, they can sit and wait. We don't expect tips but they can make your day and it is really nothing to these guys flying around in multi-million dollar jets.

 

[FL000]

On the subject of receiving tips, when I flew charter, I NEVER expected tips. If I got one, it was a bonus...just another case of beer, or if it was the Tunica crowd, perhaps the tip got me a swanky night on the town with a date. Tipping was greatly appreciated, but not expected in any way. My passengers got the same good service whether they flew the Lear and tipped, or flew the Baron and didn't tip. I wasn't getting rich flying, but I was compensated fairly by my company. I fly because I love to fly, especially the old Lear I was in at the time. If I want tips, I'll drive a limo.

I agree that tipping has gotten out of hand. What's the deal with the tip jar at Starbucks? 3.50 for a cup'o joe and you want a tip on top of that? For pulling a lever? Right.

I tip people who serve me food or drink at my table or barstool, give me rides in ground-based vehicles, carry my bags, cut my hair, or undress in front of me. At my discretion, I will also tip anyone from whom I need future good service. If my personal pilot (ha!) slacks off because I fail to tip him, I will show him the door. The piloting profession should not be further eroded by holding our hands out waiting for some palm grease. Leave that to the bellboys.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

And, yes, he tips the limo driver, who makes three times what he pays me to act as a crewmember on his jet.

No class envy here. He's a schmuck, if you are familiar with yiddish. I don't envy anything about this miserable sob

Poor analogy, since the mechanic makes twice what I do.


I feel for ya, sounds like a bad deal..
but didn't you know he was going to pay you 20% less than industry standard when you took the job?
Salaries are always negotiable and if you aren't happy with the money - walk away.


Rememeber, salaries stay 20% below industry pay because people are willing to accept 20% below industry pay.....know what I mean???

 

[justApilot]

Many charter customers add the tip on to their bill. Next time you don't get a cash tip, call your boss on it. Betcha he is pocketing the cash. There are alot of slimeballs out there in the world of 135 flying. Is he one of them?

 

[wxman13]

What's the deal with the tip jar at Starbucks? 3.50 for a cup'o joe and you want a tip on top of that? For pulling a lever? Right.

loser gotee wearing treehuggers bumming at Starbucks dont need tips for serving a 4$ latte

Since it came up twice, and since I've proudly worked for said company for over 3 years, I feel obligated to respond. Without getting us on a giant tangent, I will say that me making coffee for you is not terribly different from a waiter in a restaurant or, more precisely, a bartender, both of whom routinely receive tips. If we do a good job, i.e. we're courteous, efficient, make your drink just how you like it, remember your name, etc., then a little tip isn't out of the question. I certainly don't expect it or count on it to round out my paycheck, but I certainly appreciate it and remember those customers who tip me.

*There is much more to making coffee than pulling a lever, especially if, like me, you work in a high-volume store making 5-10 drinks per minute during a rush. There is actually some skill involved there, believe it or not.

*I have yet to meet a treehugger working at any store. Those hardcore environmentalist types (I assume that's what you're getting at, correct me if I've missed your biting sarcasm) tend not to support multinational corporations, least of all work for them.

In short, please watch your generalizations. We're people, too, just like the line guys, and we like to know when we've done our job particularly well.

 

[cjh]

>>If the owner/customer is paying anywhere near the standard wage, I agree that tipping is not expected. The fact is that the individual I was referencing gets first class treatment. And, yes, he tips the limo driver, who makes three times what he pays me to act as a crewmember on his jet. This guy sees fit to pay a pittance for his jet, just like a restaurant pays below mimimum for its wait staff.<<

Have to agree with the others here. You knew what the wage was when you took the job. Therefore, I assume you're using the job to build hours to a bigger, faster, more complex airplane, at which point you'll leave the owner. He's probably aware of that too.

Look at it from his perspective. He knows that regardless what he pays most pilots are building hours and will probably leave as soon as they hit the next magic number. Meanwhile, he gets to spend his dollars repeatedly paying to get the new guy typed, put up with higher insurance premiums for lower time captains, possibly pay for dual time with another higher-time captain on board, and don't forget that the less experienced new guy might be more apt to make a mistake that could be costly either to the machine or to the humans on board.

It's a two way street. After owners get burned for a while, they learn they can pay a lower wage and still get the pilot. Pilots bitch about shi##y wages, and owners bitch about pilots who never show any loyalty.

 

[FL000]

Without getting us on a giant tangent, I will say that me making coffee for you is not terribly different from a waiter in a restaurant or, more precisely, a bartender, both of whom routinely receive tips.

*There is much more to making coffee than pulling a lever, especially if, like me, you work in a high-volume store making 5-10 drinks per minute during a rush. There is actually some skill involved there, believe it or not.

It is terribly different. You don't bring it to my table, nor do you clean up after me. Also, waiters and bartenders make $2.13 per hour.

There is much more skill to most jobs than just pulling a lever (except being an FO ), but I don't run around tipping everyone who does good work, goes above and beyond or remembers my name. That's their JOB! This is the problem with every generation after baby boomer. They think anything above absolute minimum to get by deserves a bonus. What happened to work ethic and pride???

Much like the pilot who knows what he is being paid going in the door, I'm sure Starbucks employees know that it is not a tip-reliant job when they start work there.

 

[F70pilot]

Of course, all of you remember the legend of how copper wire was invented... (Two airline pilots fighting over a penny.)

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Sorry Starbucks dude,

I really dont want you to know or remember my name, just pour the friggin cup of 3$ coffee I am paying for. Its pretty simple.

I dont think any less of a person working there, its a fast food joint buddy....but whats with the tip jar?

As far as the "skill" required to serve coffee at Starbucks.....Im trying to work with ya on that one, really I am......but IF there is a skill , you guys should be getting paid more...

Is there a coffeeservers Union?