Question - How many of you tip?

Rock

Rock

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Rock
How many of you tip the lineman for fueling your plane ... And what percent or amount?
 
I have not seen, nor seen my CFI, tip for a fuel up. We have tipped when they came out to help us in unusual circumstances such as helping with a flat on the taxiway, staying late when we did my night landings, or went out of their way to make sure everything was ready to go for a very early CC the next day.

Usually around $10, but did $20 when they helped with that tire since they spent quite a while hauling us around since we were are the very far end of the taxiway.
 
When I flew into Boston Logan it was raining and the line guys pulled our plane right up to the terminal so we wouldn't have to run across the ramp to pre flight. They got a tip.
 
Just fueling?? Maybe if I asked them to fuel me at a self serve pump or something like that, but otherwise no.

However, as others have pointed out, I will tip if they do something extra. A ride to or from somewhere (hotel??) or an external power cart for a start will typically get a tip. Putting my plane in a hangar when a monstrous storm comes by will get a tip as well. Red carpet and a bottle of water won't. Neither will grabbing my back pack when I can easily carry it myself.
 
Just checking... I have never seen anyone tip for fuel but I am a newbie and I was wondering. I don't tip for fuel and haven't felt the need to tip otherwise. I was just making sure I wasn't doing it wrong.

I do keep my plane in a community FBO and sometimes it's stacked in back but if I am paying rent, I should be able to get to my plane at all times without me paying extra for them to dig it out. I can't wait until I get my own hangar, hopefully next month.
 
If a line guy comes out and helps with bags, especially if my wife is with me, I usually give $5. I don't usually tip the guys at my home base. We have a fuel truck that comes to the hangars, but I usually offer a drink from the fridge. I usually try to give the line guys a gift card to a local restaurant at Christmas time.
 
When the line guy drove the truck out and aired up the tires in the CAP airplane with no fuel purchase, and the stupid little battery powered pump we had blew up, I tipped him $5 and he was thoroughly shocked. We do buy a lot of fuel from him, but that was above and beyond.
 
Oh the wife just loves tipping linemen. I have to make her stop!
 
Just for fueling, nope.

I'll tip 20% when I go out, but for fueling no, reminds me of Africa where you'd have folks trying to pump your fuel for you for a tip.

Besides I can't tip for the work plane, and I don't let anyone else scale the side of the amphib for fueling, so I always end up having the line guy watch me fuel lol.

There are times lines guys have hooked me up, normally I'll drop off a 6 pack of NICE beer for them.
 
I'll tip for anything above and beyond their normal duties. Or I may send a few pizzas over and a note just to thank them for the work they do.

A little thing like that seems to go a long way.
 
On the 3-4 times a year that I encounter line dudes/dudettes, I always tip. My problem is that I either have too little or no cash OR too much cash in bigger bills. So I may tip'em $1.00 or $10.00, depending on what I have in my wallet. I gotta plan better!
 
ETres said:
On the 3-4 times a year that I encounter line dudes/dudettes, I always tip. My problem is that I either have too little or no cash OR too much cash in bigger bills. So I may tip'em $1.00 or $10.00, depending on what I have in my wallet. I gotta plan better!
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I had the same trouble. I don't fly into places often where a tip is really etiquette... But a while back I took $50 worth of $5 bills and put them in a money clip in the glove box. It's been many months and I think there is still $25 or so on the clip. You just never know and I rarely ever carry cash.

I always fuel myself (so no tip) Tips would really only be given for help with bags to a rental car that is ready to go when I taxi in. Or like last night I picked up a friend at Wilson air center at Memphis. The friend had flown in commercial. When he landed he called Wilson and they went and shuttled him over to us in 5 minutes. That guy got a tip and to not give one would be crazy IMHO.
 
ETres said:
On the 3-4 times a year that I encounter line dudes/dudettes, I always tip. My problem is that I either have too little or no cash OR too much cash in bigger bills. So I may tip'em $1.00 or $10.00, depending on what I have in my wallet. I gotta plan better!
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I would probably tip more often if I carried cash more often. Of late I seem to go several weeks with only electronic payment methods on my person.
 
As an ex-line guy I know that sometimes just being nice and not a jackass can mean a whole lot more than a tip or (at quiet airports) just sitting and chatting for a bit. Food can also be one of the best tips. Also - rides go a looooong way especially for the line guys at your based airport - they'll go much more out of their way on a daily basis to make sure your plane is OK from weather etc. if you give rides.

Netjet pilots are universally asshats. Between 2 airports and 2 FBO's I've never met a Netjet pilot or flight attendant that wasn't a complete **** to line guys.

MAKG1 said:
When the line guy drove the truck out and aired up the tires in the CAP airplane with no fuel purchase, and the stupid little battery powered pump we had blew up, I tipped him $5 and he was thoroughly shocked. We do buy a lot of fuel from him, but that was above and beyond.
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That's very nice of you but you have to understand "we do buy a lot of fuel from him" doesn't matter to us. I don't care if I'm helping you push your plane out of the hangar free of charge or fueling you 3000 gallons, I don't see any of the money from fueling you and I never gave a flying crap how much you spend to the company I worked for, it was just work regardless.
 
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I don't usually tip at my home FBO, except the lead lineman, I bring him fish when we go fishing or slip him $50 once or twice a year. In Destin, my normal destination, I'll tip $5.00 for help with the bags or $10-20 depending on what I have in my pocket, for putting the engine/cowl plugs in after it cools down. It pays to be nice to the staff, in Destin when they see my tail number as inbound, they make sure to have peanut butter cookies made, because the know my wife likes them!
 
Part of being a grown man is having $5's and $10's in your pocket, and spreading them around.

There are lots of people in your daily life that you encounter that you should be tipping, including the line guys.
 
I have an envelope full of $5 bills.
When I land, I give the guy $5 because he gives me water and tows the plane and answers every question with "sir"

"Yes Sir!"
"No Sir!"
"Absolutely Sir!"
"Yes, it is beautiful but please get that thing away from me Sir!"
 
When im in the Pilatus, most of my pax will tip the line guys $20 regardless of the amount of work they do. You can bet they get the most personal service when we come in.

Like others have said, when im in the smaller pistons and the line guys go out of their way to make everything go smoothly for me, you can bet im giving them a tip. $5-$10 for being more than helpful. $2-$3 for an average car ride. $2-$3 for the hotel van. I made it a point to have small bills in my wallet at all times.
 
$5 seems to work fine,for an offer of service,like tying down the airplane,or quick fueling. If I'm ignored ,so is the tip.
 
JoseCuervo said:
Part of being a grown man is having $5's and $10's in your pocket, and spreading them around.

There are lots of people in your daily life that you encounter that you should be tipping, including the line guys.
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Bingo! To be honest, I never really thought about it much until my son started working the line and I realized how much these folks rely on tips. And to 747JB, I would bet you that when you tip the "head" line guy, the folks under him who work the hardest and make the least, never see any of it. Now I always hand over $5 bucks for the fuel job, which is usually all I ever need. And it made me realize how name other workers rely on tips also. We can all afford the lousy $5 that makes a big difference to others less fortunate than us. Just my 2 cents. Glenn
 
OK, now then... I will rethink this no tipping local dude thingy. $5 a few times a month isn't going to break me.

Thanks
 
I hate the practice of tipping in general and not because of the money, it's just such an awkward interaction for me. Putting a dollar value on someone's extra effort then handing them money.... are they gonna think I'm cheap, are they gonna think I'm nuts but take it anyway, are they(most likely) just going to be appreciative? I do it when it's expected but the whole exchange just seems really awkward and uncomfortable to me.
 
Sorry to derail the thread but I have a question about tipping for the airline pilots. I usually only tip when the driver helps with bags. I've seen pilots tip drivers when they drove us to the simulators. We carry our own bags and the driver doesn't touch them. Is it good practice to tip the driver when they take you to the simulators but they don't help out with bags?
 
I have a friend who tips the line guy BEFORE he starts fueling. He says it gives them impetus to take better care of his plane.
 
haven't tipped when away since usually paying for everything. For the homies I send lunch a couple times a year. I just call the desk and say I'll be sending it in so they know not to bring their own. Works out sorta since I usually fly weekends and they usually work weekends so I assume the right people are benefiting.
 
Norman said:
I have a friend who tips the line guy BEFORE he starts fueling. He says it gives them impetus to take better care of his plane.
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If he's worried to that extent for whatever reason, I'd REALLY be fueling my own plane.
 
jordane93 said:
Sorry to derail the thread but I have a question about tipping for the airline pilots. I usually only tip when the driver helps with bags. I've seen pilots tip drivers when they drove us to the simulators. We carry our own bags and the driver doesn't touch them. Is it good practice to tip the driver when they take you to the simulators but they don't help out with bags?
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I always tip the regional airline pilots as I leave the plane.
 
We have no lineman at the home drome, and the lineman at the fields I fly into are hit and miss, and so is my tipping.
 
After a 6 hour, two stop flight (my once-a-year XC to the south), the lineman offered to clean my windshields for me. That got a tip.
 
I tip all the line monkeys at my home airport at Christmas. I bring cookies\donuts\pizza to the FBO at least once a month.
I tip the line monkeys at away airports as required.
Most of these people are working for minimum wage, often in bad conditions. They appreciate the gesture, the money, and respond in kind with better service.
 
Just for filling the tank? No.

Golf cart ride across the airport or some other helpful service, or if the AP is busy and I'm not buying gas. Yes. $5 or so depending.
 
I think of Michael Jordan and his cheap ass never tipping anyone. Jerk! I don't want to be known like that but I really am cheap.
 
Yup. Even sometimes at home base. Even if it's $5.. they remember you and if there's a big storm coming, you bet you'll be the first inside.
 
I tip $5 to $10 when at airport other then home but I always grab more then $5 to $10 worth of free stuff from the goody bin.
 
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