Originally Posted by clear4approach

Mostly agree. The driver's literal job is to drive us safely and on time from point A to B. So, to tip for "getting us to our destination safely and on time" feels hollow. That is the literal point/aim/goal of their job.
Also, "getting" my bags? They are literally lifting them 3 feet from the ground to the van, and doing the reverse at destination. It feels similarly hollow to tip for that reason.
I have no doubt Skyhop and other transportation companies pay the drivers $X less per hour because they assume $X per hour in tips, so yes we are subsidizing their wages to a certain extent.
Tipping culture is out of control here in the U.S, and .I have no doubt more and more employers have it in their compensation calculus.
That being said, I tip the drivers $2 each way ($1 per bag) out of rote habit and because it's what everyone else does, NOT some gratitude or altruism or sense of professionalism.
I WILL tip $10 for above and beyond things like dropping me at employee parking on a JFK/LGA intra airport transfer.
I don't care whether others tip or not (although I DO judge them in my head for nonconformity 🤣&#129315
Im always happy and willing to spot (not even "lend") an FO $2 if they're out of singles or can't make change.

Originally Posted by Hotel Kilo

Guarantee I made way less than you when I was a new hire here. Didn't matter. We tipped. That was the protocol. We're professionals - act like it.

Originally Posted by Foggles

Millennials are closing in on 40 years old. They’re conscientious tippers. As a reminder for the elderly among us, millennials lived in a time before the internet.

Originally Posted by Variable39

Yep, definitely an FO. Like I mentioned a few pages up, the OE guide for my fleet actually says to tip van drivers. I wasn’t planning on skipping out on it anyway—I saw CAs tipping when I was a new hire, so I followed suit.

I assume you were asking if I was an FO because the “other pilots” I referred to would have to be CAs. I probably should have specified that I meant when a group of pilots were all on the same van (LAX, NYC), I have never seen anyone, CA or FO, stiff a van driver. I was surprised to see that HK has seen that several times.

Originally Posted by Foggles

Millennials are closing in on 40 years old. They’re conscientious tippers. As a reminder for the elderly among us, millennials lived in a time before the internet.

If you’re going to try and malign an entire generation, at least try to understand who you’re talking about.

I’ve covered for more than one <30year old FO (that’s Gen Z, by the way, Gramps) when tipping the driver. No, I don’t want them to pay me back, I just want them to show up prepared next trip.



I guarantee I made less than you did at my first airline job. I’ve always tipped van drivers and I am a millennial.

Originally Posted by Viper25

This. I still don’t understand how the millennials are STILL getting disparaged, over 20 years later since they started getting heat.

Millennials are basically 40ish years old now, with families and careers. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are the young ones now, but somehow Millenials are still being called out for being the young/entitled/ignorant/whatever generation.

Originally Posted by Viper25

This. I still don’t understand how the millennials are STILL getting disparaged, over 20 years later since they started getting heat.

Millennials are basically 40ish years old now, with families and careers. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are the young ones now, but somehow Millenials are still being called out for being the young/entitled/ignorant/whatever generation.

Originally Posted by beernutt

I

I figure my $5 is partial compensation for them having to listen to the insufferable bellyaching or bragging pilots excel at. I’m always impressed that they have the composure to not swerve into oncoming traffic or a bridge abutment just to shut these dudes up.

Originally Posted by Viper25

This. I still don’t understand how the millennials are STILL getting disparaged, over 20 years later since they started getting heat.

Millennials are basically 40ish years old now, with families and careers. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are the young ones now, but somehow Millenials are still being called out for being the young/entitled/ignorant/whatever generation.

Originally Posted by demon llama

This entire conversation is so strange to me. Millionaire captains bitching about how their FOs won’t tip $2, all while complaining about all the homeless people in the layover city.

Stop saying this is about making the lives of underpaid workers better. None of you care about that.