I get that, and in general I'm an over tipper especially at restaurants, and a sucker for almost every tip jar anywhere, even on small purchases. What's surprising is how expected it is, to the point of being completely unappreciated. Tipping a dollar for a <$2 coffee is pretty generous; at least act like you appreciate it with a slight head nod or smile. I almost want to reach back in and take it so I can give it again because maybe they didn't notice like Costanza did at the pizza place.

As for van drivers, I think the dollar per person is usually not enough so I'm usually in the 2-5 range, although I guess it depends on what they make overall, if they are driving on a set schedule, their attitude, etc. What grinds my gears more than anything they do is standing there hands folded while you wheel your bags to them and they just look at you like they have no idea how they come apart or how the handle comes down when you know they know how it works. Unless its literally their first aircrew pick up ever, standard crew bag hooks and handle releases shouldn't surprise anyone.

That and the pile of randomly laid out bags with crews literally reaching over each other desperately trying to get their dollar(s) into their hands. Expecting a tip so much that they make you go out of your way to give it is kind of annoying.

 

I used to carry a bag of candy for all "good" F/As.

"Bad" F/As got double.

 

I'm at the same place as Zap. I never pack food except for an occasional sandwich that gets consumed on the first day. After that if I'm hungry I go get food and insist that nobody in my crew go hungry at any point in the day either. If they can't provide crew meals and yet expect us to just keep flying all day without taking a break for proper nurishment then they've got another thing coming. If this causes a delay, so be it.

 

Just my two cents, know the local custom. I love watching fat mustachioed capts feverishly shove dollar bills at the drivers in Japan or Interior China. Hey genius, the driver is smiling at you cause you are a dolt in his culture.

 

Tipping for some people is just a way to show how great of a person the tipper is. Same with refusing to pack a healthy lunch. "Look, I am too cool to carry my lunch" I am no fan of the new generation but at least they aren't wasting their money and are trying to eat healthy. Us older pilots generally are fat and still in debt (look around). Keep tipping $5 every van ride and spending $25 for a fat laden lunch, just remember it doesn't make you a better person. Stop being a tip Nazi if I don't tip the van driver who never left his seat, it's not a taxi cab, it's the shuttle that takes you to the hotel that you then check into and pay to stay there. Van driver does not = waitress.

 

After reading just a few of the posts in this ridiculous thread, I must say dal is getting exactly what they want from this group.

Pilots actually making a big deal out of tipping and who is better than who, and competing for f/a attention. Laughable.

Your company dumped more and more costs and non-pilot responsibilities on you over the years for the bottom line. And you divide yourselves over a couple bucks, during work, that dal should be responsible for.

 

Surely you jest? I wouldn't eat most of the "crew" meals even if they were provided to us. Unfortunately, I can't eat turkey or chicken...guess what most of the 1st class meals/for sale items have as the main portion of their meal... The healthy food I bring on a trip is none of your concern.

Are you one of the guys that was all upset when the young punks starting using rollaboards?

Just like they looks like dolts when there over here and constantly bumping into you or in your personal space?

 

Here is the scenario that makes me shake my head:

At many international stations, the inbound crews are picked up at the airplane and driven to customs, where they disembark, clear, and re-board the bus to go to the hotel.

There are also stations where the outbound the crew is dropped off at the terminal, clears passport control and security, and re-boards to go to the airplane.

So the bus driver has to load the bags, unload them, load them again, and unload them again. With the average crewmember bag tally usually being around four, the driver will have handled a bag 16 times for each of the dozen or so crewmembers by the time they get to the hotel or the airplane.

And what do most crewmembers tip for all of this bag-schlepping?

One US dollar.

Which, as of this morning, was €0.93 or £0.80.

 

The only reason I tip the driver is because of the social pressure to do it. The expectation of tipping in this or any other context boggles my mind.

 

I don't bring my own food bag to save money or the company time. It's that I don't want to die of a heart attack from eating unhealthy airport/hotel food the day after I retire. If that is looked down on, then so be it.