Tips After a Flight
 

Just curious how many people here have been offered a monetary tip of some kind from a passenger after a flight? It has happened to me numerous times after both 91 and 135 flights, and I always cordially decline.

After a local scenic flight one passenger slipped me a $100 bill.

I’m sure someone here can beat that…

So, has this ever happened to you? If so, how much were you offered?

Not in 121...but the Flight Attendants get them all the time. The smart ones can identify potential big tippers, and they will comp their drinks to "prime the pump" so-to-speak. I have seen FA's get several hundred dollars...if they don't get tipped, they have to eat the cost of the free drinks though

I've recieved a few here and there, hell I even got $20 from a discovery flight before it even started. Some people are completely against it, but honestly you are providing a service. If someone feels that you went above and beyound your duties, or just how you handle any given situation, then it is a reward and acknowledgement of that service and attitude. I'm always flattered and appreciative when someone offers, and usually I'll mention that they really don't need to, but I do appreciate the gesture.

I used to get tips all of the time when I flew the Canyon out of Vegas. Most days I made more in tips than from the cheap a** operator that I flew for. I didn't see anything wrong with it. I was providing a service and I got them there and back in one piece, which is saying something for a fully loaded 207 in the summer time. :)

It would seem to me that if you are a MASS transportation pilot (meaning Part 121 in this case) then you wouldn't get tips. There was another thread here on APC debating that very point) I mean you don't tip the Greyhound bus driver or the AmTrack Engineer. On the other hand - other forms of entertainment (the Cayon flying) or more personable transportation (fractional) I can understand geting a tip for providing a service. I equate this to a limo driver. I know that it was common for people to tip the helo pilot who gave the waterfall and island flying tours of Hawaii when my parents vactioned there a few years ago.

USMCFLYR

I worked for an operation one summer that flew T-6's and a Stearman, and those pilots survived on tips. Granted, they were still being paid, but if they had a bad tip day, boy were they in a bad mood...(usually)

So are you saying that F/A's work just like strippers then? The pimp always has get paid. Otherwise someone is going to get smacked!

Timely discussion. On my last rotation, an older gentlemen slipped me $3 for helping his wife into a wheel chair and pushing her up the gate to the concourse. I denied the money but he wouldn't have it. So I took his cash. I felt a bit ackward and honestly don't know if that was against company policy.

I had a guy hand me a $20 for grabbing his gate check bag while doing the post flight. He had a tight connection and I'll do this from time to time if the pax asks nicely or if the rampers are being insanely slow. He slipped it into my pocket and took off up the jetway. I usually wouldn't accept it but he must have been in a hurry because it was a full sprint. I was expecting to see a dollar or two.

I used it to buy starbucks for the crew.

I worked for USAir, and ride home (DEL-CVG) on an American 777 frequently. With rare exception, this is a horrific thought! The only tips they'd get would be to keep their clothes ON! Geez, the mental image I got from this post is unspeakable. :(

Seriously, the company had a policy against accepting tips, not that that would have stopped me. They had a policy against everything, actually. You'd have to pretty discreet with the "comp drink" technique or somebody would squeal (or you'd have to share the proceeds). More power to 'em.

What would sometimes happen is that I'd get tipped when we were sharing a van with regular folks. They must have thought I was a doorman or something. I always handed it to the driver.