flybynightly said:I fly corporate and charter and tip line guys in certain places, especially for lav service.
What kind of tipping do any of you do?
I've discovered if you don't tip the guys in Aspen you can pretty much forget getting any kind of service.
I always tip the line guys for lav service, helping with the passengers' bags, bringing out the catering, rides to the hotel etc. The guys or girls appreciate it and remember the airplanes and crews who do and don't tip. It can make the difference in the quality of future service from acceptable to outstanding. Of course my chief pilot was the cheapest guy around. He would always accuse the rest of us of claiming tips on our expense reports that we didn't give. If anything, we claimed less than we actually gave out. Of course this is the same guy that tipped a handler in Trinidad, who did a tremendous job, twenty dollars and thought he was making him rich!
As far as receiving tips as a charter pilot, it's generally not part of the job so if you expect it you will be disappointed more often than not. As we use to say it was never expected but always appreciated. Some customers tipped, most did not, but they all got the same good service.
Pat