[QUOTE]
Originally Posted by
The Juice
I have been on many van rides with diferent crews from diferent airlines and have seen tips not given.
My experience is from a long time ago when I did the van driving job and I drove other aircrews to other hotels and they always tipped. Like you Juice - I can only give examples from my experience and this is what I am sharing.
As far as the mexican food analogy, well that is a ridiculous comparison. That is like me saying if a passenger of another airline asks me where food is in the terminal I should "blow them off" because it is not in the contract. Common courtesy is free as is customer service.
No...it is not ridiculous - tipping (and since you mentioned Japan) in this culture IS courtesy. In Japan it is not cultural. I don't know if you have ever lived in Japan or just passed through, but I feel I have a pretty good feel for it.
In Japan, people strive to do the best job not for tips, but because they take pride in their work. It is an insult to take a tip for doing what one is paid to do.
The problem with doing your job and NOT getting tipped in this country is that you are often not even getting paid miniumum wage because you are excepted to get tipped and that is part of your sublimental wages.
I have no problem taking my own bags out of the van. You use SWA as an example as good tippers, well if I made SWA money I would be more free with my money.
Again - maybe time makes a difference, but back when I was the van driver; SWA wasn't the job that everyone was dying to get. Matter of fact - they were a national airline and not too many people were clamouring to get there. I know they were getting paid as well as the legacies.
I do not know what airline you work for, or if you have ever been a regional FO with student loans. Well I am, and I have loans like many others and it is not responsible for me to spend money, regardless of the amount, foolishly.
Nope - not a professional pilot and I have never been a regional FO with student loans. I have been the hotel van driver making minimum wage or below and counting on my timely appearence and friendly service to hopefully pry a dollar from the wallet so that I could make a few bucks. And though I have never been an airline crew - whenever I have been in a hotel van - I have always tipped. MOF...Having had numerous jobs where I worked for tips - I don't always tip the *customary* 15% to waitresses for instance. I tipped less if they are very poor and more if I receive good service.
USMCFLYR