tips

[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.

 

[WW24dude]

You know what gets me, is when both my copilot and I are done dragging the bags out of the 'ole Westwind cargo compartment and taking them to the cars, and the client tips the line guys! "Hey, wait a minute...that's mine!"

I've acutally said that to a few who have REALLY down nothing and gotten a tip.
"You got my tip man?"

They always give an uneasy (or is it a guilty) smile. Probably saying to themselves "f-ing pilot jerks"

 

[CapnVegetto]

Any captain that doesn't split tips should be f-ing SHOT. In the head. With an elephant gun.