Originally Posted by 767pilot (Post 2285713)

You know the difference between a canoe and a delta pilot? A canoe tips!

Originally Posted by sherpster (Post 2285928)

Disclaimer: I'm not a delta pilot.

There are a lot of nuisances involved in tipping, just wondering what everyone's take is:

Should van drivers get a tip if they don't touch your bag? Do you tip the maid? The front desk clerk? What about hotels that charge $30 for parking the rental car, do you tip the person who brings the car around? The omelette cook at breakfast? The clean up lady hovering around the buffet?

Originally Posted by kme9418 (Post 2285892)

I have been wondering how long "$1 has been the standard tip". With about 100 years of aviation behind us, shouldn't inflation have it up to about $2 yet? But I'm just an FO at a bottom feeder airline so I still only tip $1 and so does most everyone else I fly with.

Originally Posted by Lemon Jello (Post 2285959)

A buck was the standard as far back as 1985, but prior to that? Well, I'm old but not that old. In 2006 I unilaterally decided to up it to 2 bucks, because like you said, inflation. Over the years I have heard all of the rationales against tipping, nobody has ever succeeded in convincing me it's anything other than being a cheapskate.

Originally Posted by DALFA (Post 2285860)

The bigger question is:

What's the deal with this whole tipping everyone all the time?

Let's take a look at the whole tipping thing for a second. You go out and eat or drink and you tip the waiter/bartender right? Why do you do that? Because they're paid $2/$3 per hour and tips make up the rest of it. I mean, the law is such that it allows employers to pay them that little.

Why do we automatically tip a van driver?

Although van drivers don't enjoy a wealthy compensation package, they generally make $9-10 per hour on average. In Omaha they might make $8 and in SFO they might make $12-14.

Should we tip? Well, isn't a tip a showing of appreciation for a job well done or for going above an beyond what your job description says in this case? I have 1 bag and 1 tote and if you're friendly and load/unload the bags in the van then you get my dollar tip. If you're rude and ****ed off at the world you're not getting squat. Flying domestic 3 day trips i'd say there's at least 1 van driver every other layover that in my opinion doesn't deserve a tip...and I don't shell out the $1. Sorry. It's a tip, look up the definition.

Do people tip pilots on their way out the door because the flight was on-time and the landing was smooth? No.

Do people tip flight attendants for great service (even though we do practically the same thing bartenders do)? 99% of the time...No.


So why do we automatically tip everyone? Are you trying to look good ...or???

Originally Posted by 2StgTurbine (Post 2285873)

You tip for a scenic route? Personally, if the van driver shortens my overnight so they can show me the "scenic" side of Cleveland, I don't think I will be tipping.

But as you stated, the important thing about tipping is to get the van driver to associate your airline with $ in their pocket. That way when they hear that we need a pickup and they just left the airport, that van driver will do a 180 to get us even though it will cause the Southwest crew already on the van to get upset :)

Originally Posted by navigatro (Post 2285972)

trying to rationalize why you don't need to tip makes you come off as a cheap s.o.b.

Originally Posted by notEnuf (Post 2285967)

I agree completely. I also think we should have the US government standard for per diem to account for those expenses. Or have Delta pay a fixed tip authorized by a crew signature. This should not be our expense. Yeah, I'm cheap. So cheap I don't want to pay the $50 to account for the per diem difference on my taxes.

Or just give us expense accounts. But this is Delta's cost of doing business. Being nickeled and dimed literally, just rubs salt on the wound. Business travel should not cost us as it doesn't cost other Delta professionals.

Small potatoes yes, but potatoes.