Originally Posted by
freezingflyboy
And Christ guys! Tip your van drivers! A buck is NOT going to break the bank! If money is that tight for you, might be time to sell the boat, the sports car or the trophy wife. If I fly with one more captain who doesn't tip a van driver who is waiting at the curb, opens the door, hefts the bags AND offers you a coke when you get in the van then I am going to rip those 4 bars right off his or her damn shoulders! Ever wonder why van drivers seem less than thrilled to have to deal with airline crews? Its probably because most of the ones they deal with are miserable, whiny, demanding and cheap! A dollar and a "thank you" can go a long way to earning some goodwill at the bell desk.
I give the Van driver a smile and a thank you. Unless they stand in the way and force me not to I always load my own bags in the back and offer to load the Capt's and the FA's bags too. He drove me from the airport to the hotel and back. It is not rocket science. Added to the fact he makes more than I do in a year. No one tips me for flying them halfways across the country and back. (Let me make it clear I don't want tips) The point of my rant is not everyone has the want or the means to tip them and when they stand there expecting it, it just makes them look bad.