Do you tip FBO line workers?

I pronounce it "sucker ticket."

Unless you just happen to actually want/need what the coupon is for at that time.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Netjet is hands down the worst. One FO on a Global gave me a $10 to get her change... so I run into the FBO and get her a $5 and 5 $1's... she reached into her pocket and gave me change
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At that point I would have grabbed her hand, slapped the change into it and said, "Here, it appears you need this more than I do..."
 
overdrive148 said:
There were some that were pretty bad... one of the Global captains I dealt with (windshield wash, lav, fuel, and potable water) decided to have a full blown snarkfest about how potable is pronounced when I confirmed his order. Said that our FBO's quality was suffering if we can't even pronounce it right. I had -never- heard it as anything but POTable instead of POHtable water. Sue me!
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I would have just said, "You know, you are right. I will go the rest of my life remembering what you just said." As I roll my eyes, turn and walk away.
 
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Zeldman said:
I would have just said, "You know, you are right. I will go the rest of my life remembering what you just said." As I roll my eyes, turn and walk away.
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And here I am talking about it on an internet forum like a year or two later. He got me.

And to be honest, I've had some bad interactions with pax too. Usually it's the disgusted "Oh god, it's talking to me!" reaction. Some of the rudest people I ever met were pax off a Netjets Citation X and left it absolutely trashed. Food and trash everywhere, in the carpet, on the sides, smears on the windows...
 
Hauling cans of gas in the FBOs courtesy car is incredibly stupid.
 
OP here again. My god there’s a few judgmental types up in here! Lol

Anyway, this post was created for me, a guy who became a pilot two weeks ago, to learn proper tipping etiquette in the GA setting, which I believe I now have. So thanks for those who provided constructive feedback.

For the critics: This was my first multi leg trip as a pilot, and had never flown with anyone in a GA setting to small airports before, so total newbie. At least I tipped EACH line guy $5. I even admitted to them I was a total newbie, and asked them customary tipping. They, being the southern gentlemen they were, tried to convince me it wasn’t necessary. But I did anyway.

No, they didn’t sell mogas there and in fact it was the line guy who suggested I take the courtesy car and my empty Tuff Jugs I travelled with in my cargo bay to fill them up to refuel my plane.

Also, no, I won’t be found in other threads griping about $20 FBO fees should there be any. Flew on to KGPT and they had a $25 overnight fee. Totally reasonable, since it’s quite a busy airport and a swanky FBO. (Million Air) Quite the contrary, as someone with an economics and finance background, I couldn’t get over all the great services and amenities I had at The other airport for $0!

I’m general, I discovered on my 6 day trek that the aviation community is very friendly and hospitable (at least down south!). It was one of the best experiences of my life.
 
overdrive148 said:
I is a fast lerner but I could've done without the insults and comments and attitude.
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I get that he was a jerk about the pronunciation, but I’ve met a few people all over this world that have extremely high intellects and extremely low paying jobs. Sometimes it’s coincidence, sometimes it’s curcumstantisl, sometimes it’s by choice. One’s station in life should not be used to determine that individual’s worth, values, contributions, intelligence, spirit, and on and on. Speaking down to others is seldom a way to elevate yourself. I took the comment about harassing the line guys in that manner- that it’s entirely probable that the insulted line guy was as smart or smarter than the insulter. ;)
 
While I don't suggest going to the denverpilot school of posting, details in the initial post tend to help tell the story a little better. ;)
 
Ben2k9 said:
OP here again. My god there’s a few judgmental types up in here! Lol

Anyway, this post was created for me, a guy who became a pilot two weeks ago, to learn proper tipping etiquette in the GA setting, which I believe I now have. So thanks for those who provided constructive feedback.

For the critics: This was my first multi leg trip as a pilot, and had never flown with anyone in a GA setting to small airports before, so total newbie. At least I tipped EACH line guy $5. I even admitted to them I was a total newbie, and asked them customary tipping. They, being the southern gentlemen they were, tried to convince me it wasn’t necessary. But I did anyway.

No, they didn’t sell mogas there and in fact it was the line guy who suggested I take the courtesy car and my empty Tuff Jugs I travelled with in my cargo bay to fill them up to refuel my plane.

Also, no, I won’t be found in other threads griping about $20 FBO fees should there be any. Flew on to KGPT and they had a $25 overnight fee. Totally reasonable, since it’s quite a busy airport and a swanky FBO. (Million Air) Quite the contrary, as someone with an economics and finance background, I couldn’t get over all the great services and amenities I had at The other airport for $0!

I’m general, I discovered on my 6 day trek that the aviation community is very friendly and hospitable (at least down south!). It was one of the best experiences of my life.
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<insert smug "I told you so" look here along with a good dose of stink eye> ;)
 
EdFred said:
Douchiest move I've ever seen written about on this board. Congrats.
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If the FBO wanted to sell fuel to MOGAS users, wouldn't they have MOGAS available on the premises?
 
Palmpilot said:
If the FBO wanted to sell fuel to MOGAS users, wouldn't they have MOGAS available on the premises?
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Not necessarily. They might want to, but the amount of bureaucracy and regulations might prevent them from putting in a second tank. ;)
 
overdrive148 said:
That makes the 10s and 20s that I'd occasionally get more heartfelt then.
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How long ago? I don't remember when the netjets "fiver" came about but it was that way a few years ago when I was doing line
 
kayoh190 said:
Casually call their Global an overgrown RJ. They LOVE that.
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Many moons ago I was a valet. We had a regular who was a terrible tipper, and very proud of his Ford SHO. When it was time to bring his car back "I'll go get your Taurus, sir"
 
Palmpilot said:
In English, in order for the first syllable of "potable" to be pronounced like "pot," the "t" needs to be doubled.
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But since it comes from the latin potabilis which is pronounced with a long o, we pronounce it poh-table.
 
Ben2k9 said:
New PPL here. flew into an airport recently. Line guys tied down the plane for me. I was waiting for weather to clear along my destination and as a storm approached, they pulled the plane into the hangar for me. I ended up staying overnight, and took one of their new courtesy cars overnight to a hotel nearby. Inside the FBO there was some good coffee, snacks, etc, a flight planning/Wx area with computers, and a pilots lounge with big TV and leather couches. After all was said and done, I owed the FBO $0. I didn’t even buy fuel, as I used the courtesy car to get some MoGas for my plane elsewhere. Seemed like an amazing deal so I tipped the guys $5 each.

1. Is tipping these guys expected or customary? If so what is a good amount?
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By the way, Welcome to POA!

Don't let the curmudgeons run you off yet. Some people feel it gives them prestige and a sense of self importance to criticize others (see what I just did there;)). Give them a chance to redeem themselves, THEN run away when you find out what they are really like.

This place is a lot like Junior High School. It takes a while to work your way into the clique.
 
Ok, I’ll take the flames for the Cheap bastards out there.

I don’t understand the concept of tipping people that are making a standard wage, unless they go above and beyond their job.

In this case, the line guys didn’t do anything that was outside their job description. Ok, I might have tipped the guy that offered the car, but if that’s company policy, then he really did nothing he wasn’t already being paid for.

Flame on guys. Tell me about how hard it is to do your job for the pay you agreed on......it’s not my responsibility to make up for your poor negotiating skills or inability to find a job that pays you fairly. You do a good job, I tell your boss, you get a raise, or find a boss that will treat you right.
 
Salty said:
Ok, I’ll take the flames for the Cheap bastards out there.

I don’t understand the concept of tipping people that are making a standard wage, unless they go above and beyond their job.

In this case, the line guys didn’t do anything that was outside their job description. Ok, I might have tipped the guy that offered the car, but if that’s company policy, then he really did nothing he wasn’t already being paid for.

Flame on guys. Tell me about how hard it is to do your job for the pay you agreed on......it’s not my responsibility to make up for your poor negotiating skills or inability to find a job that pays you fairly. You do a good job, I tell your boss, you get a raise, or find a boss that will treat you right.
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That's all well and good. But surely you don't begrudge me the satisfaction of tipping a hard working young person, do you?
 
JOhnH said:
That's all well and good. But surely you don't begrudge me the satisfaction of tipping a hard working young person, do you?
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Feel free to point out where I said you couldn’t.
 
Salty said:
Feel free to point out where I said you couldn’t.
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So then the answer to my QUESTION was "no, you do not". That was all you needed to say.

You wouldn't have donned the proverbial flame suit if you didn't expect questions like that. So I assume your comment, and your response were merely trolls. It was your lack of understanding that prompted my question.
 
JOhnH said:
So then the answer to my QUESTION was "no, you do not". That was all you needed to say.

You wouldn't have donned the proverbial flame suit if you didn't expect questions like that. So I assume your comment, and your response were merely trolls. It was your lack of understanding that prompted my question.
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:confused:
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
But since it comes from the latin potabilis which is pronounced with a long o, we pronounce it poh-table.
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Check the context: For the purposes of the last sentence in post #20, the Latin potabilis is not applicable, because he was in effect coining a new word based on the word "pot."
 
JOhnH said:
This place is a lot like Junior High School. It takes a while to work your way into the clique.
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Or to decide that you don't care about the clique. ;)
 
Salty said:
Ok, I’ll take the flames for the Cheap bastards out there.

I don’t understand the concept of tipping people that are making a standard wage, unless they go above and beyond their job.

In this case, the line guys didn’t do anything that was outside their job description. Ok, I might have tipped the guy that offered the car, but if that’s company policy, then he really did nothing he wasn’t already being paid for.

Flame on guys. Tell me about how hard it is to do your job for the pay you agreed on......it’s not my responsibility to make up for your poor negotiating skills or inability to find a job that pays you fairly. You do a good job, I tell your boss, you get a raise, or find a boss that will treat you right.
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Ever worked a service job or in any customer facing position ?
 
weilke said:
Ever worked a service job or in any customer facing position ?
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I haven't ever gotten a tip for the drone job and I face customers all day :oops:

All but one of the jobs I've done were customer facing. The way I see it, I do get paid to do the job but it's nice to get a little extra for a job well done. I don't expect it though.
 
weilke said:
Ever worked a service job or in any customer facing position ?
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If I took a job like that I’d expect to get paid what I was worth. If I wasn’t, I’d find another job.
 
We tip waiters because it's customary and expected. With line workers, expectations seem to vary.
 
weilke said:
I take that as a no.
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It’s irrelevant. I wouldn’t take any job where I Didn’t agree that I was getting enough pay without customers giving me extra.
 
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