tips

[BOZO]

Split It

Tips should be split 50/50 without a second thought. The same goes for the Captain's Club certificates and similar programs.

I did a trip as an ICP for an operator and we topped off out of the Jet Center at APA. Do you think I saw 1/2 of the coupons? Nope. The "Captain" must have thought he was getting away with it....but I wasn't born yesterday. I never said anything but do you think I'll ever do a trip for him again? F'ing no.

Respect your crew...they mave have to save your butt some day.

My .02

 

[mavrck]

absolutely, we split em 50/50 down the middle. Even when they give us $10.00 and think they are being generous.

 

[h25b]

First of all it's only been on rare occassions where I've been offered a tip. None of us are the typical starving unbelievably under paid charter pilots. But I would say depends on the situation... The least that should happen is it gets split 50/50 or evenly amongst the crew when more than two crewmembers. In a situation where the Captain is being paid a fair wage while the F.O. starves then I say give the whole thing to the poor b%&tard...

My personal policy is try and politely refuse the tip (I'm not a bell-boy), and if the passenger insists then I split it evenly with my partner.

Since meal expenses get billed back to the charter customer and most all of them are close friends of our boss we don't submit any dinner expense for reimbursement when we've been tipped. Our boss takes very good care of us and pocketing a tip isn't worth offending a friend of the boss when he/she looks at the charter bill and says, "man I gave those guys a $400 tip and they still billed me $30 for dinner that night!!!"

So with that in mind I would just recommend being aware the whole picture on how to deal with this issue...

 

[Duderino]

We split 50/50 or if there is a FA and the tip is 100 or less, the FA gets the whole thing. We haven't received a tip in forever.

 

[slowto250]

We split 50/50 or if there is a FA and the tip is 100 or less, the FA gets the whole thing. We haven't received a tip in forever.

I think there is a certain "art" involved in being offered tips. Years ago, when I flew light jets and the occassional turbo-prop, it seems that we were the recipients of gratuities more often. Now that our equipment is larger, the offers are much less frequent. I guess we must give the impression of being more successful, or at least better compensated.

Might help to show up with some worn out shoes and threadbare pants.

 

[G100driver]

Since meal expenses get billed back to the charter customer and most all of them are close friends of our boss we don't submit any dinner expense for reimbursement when we've been tipped. Our boss takes very good care of us and pocketing a tip isn't worth offending a friend of the boss when he/she looks at the charter bill and says, "man I gave those guys a $400 tip and they still billed me $30 for dinner that night!!!"

Reason #503 why charter management companies are crooks. Most bill the customer a flat rate ($600/day in our case) no matter what you spend.

 

[some_dude]

Actually, IMO, the flat-rate for expenses is a good thing, for just the issue that H25b raised. Meal expenses (or hotel, for that matter) are not broken out for the customer to see and complain about.

In regard to tips, on the few occasions I've received them I've noticed the customer often request that we split it or "share it with the other guy." In any event, I always split them evenly unless there is some reason to do otherwise.

Reason #503 why charter management companies are crooks. Most bill the customer a flat rate ($600/day in our case) no matter what you spend.

 

[G100driver]

Agreed, flat is good but not at the expense of they guys actually out on the road. Crew expenses are for the crews, not for the office to dictate.

Do not even get me going on hotel expenses .... ever try to eat in Kona on $40 a day. Breakfast alone costs $15-20 .... a muffin and coffee at starbucks is still $8.00.

Like I said ... reason number 503 why they are crooks ... they bring it on themselves

 

[some_dude]

Then you should charge more for high cost areas!

Ahh, the days of ASE overnights at the Hotel Jerome with unlimited expenses... I'll never see those days again, sadly. But that was possible because we charged double the standard overnight fee for ASE (and TEB).

Agreed, flat is good but not at the expense of they guys actually out on the road. Crew expenses are for the crews, not for the office to dictate.

Do not even get me going on hotel expenses .... ever try to eat in Kona on $40 a day. Breakfast alone costs $15-20 .... a muffin and coffee at starbucks is still $8.00.

Like I said ... reason number 503 why they are crooks ... they bring it on themselves

 

[DitchDriver]

Might help to show up with some worn out shoes and threadbare pants.

Oily uniform shirt or t-shirt and shorts with flip flops help. Wearing monkey suit or even just the shirt with epaulets just kills the flow of "grease". I used to have a handwritten sign on the sun visor which I lowered as soon as I raised the flaps on landing - always got a laugh but then wallets came out.

As for giving them to the right seaters - sure, mine were riding around not getting paid just to get the insurance minimum time in type. They were the ones that needed it most.