farscape

For the first time, I have arranged for my mother wheelchair assistance to the flight departure gate.

I believe that this is a complimentary service however, I wanted to ask if anyone can provide general tipping guidance for the service.

I will adjust the general tip above based upon the quality of service.

Thanks in advance.

ontheway

About $3 for just the person in the chair, or if the person has a piece of luggage on their lap making it heavier, $5. tha't what we used to do

txrus

That's about what I do when I take my mother along somewhere.

farscape

I appreciate the responses. I figured $5 but I did not want to under tip.

Thanks.

IJDGAF

While recovering from knee surgery this summer, I had to fly before I got off crutches. I tipped the guy $5, I probably should have gone a bit higher - he was a little Ethiopian guy and I'm 6'4" - 275#

gemac

In my opinion, it depends on the amount of his time you take up. Remember that this guy works largely for tips, and that he is is lucky if he is paid for half the time he is at the airport, I would figure reasonable compensation would be at a rate of $20/hour for the time you use him. This would mean that he would realize $10/hour for the time he is on the job, a bit above minimum wage but not much. This means that if you use him for 15 minutes, you would tip him $5, if you use him for a half-hour you would tip him $10.

Just out of curiosity, why ask on the AA forum? Did you think that all disabled travelers would travel AA, or did you think that AA travelers would tip differently from those on other airlines? Did you know that we have an entire forum for disability travel? You would likely get much better answers there.

beachfan

$3 seems very light to me. I'd do $5 at least, and $10 if it isn't quick.

Handling my mother was worth more than 2 to 3 pieces of luggage to the skycap.

DeafFlyer

We had a long discussion on this topic. I only tip for extraordinary service, not for the usual. I probably ive on a lot less than the wheelchair pusher does.

HiltonP

Where does one draw the line?

Do you tip the check-in people if they handle you efficiently and give you a good seat? Do you tip security for a well conducted check? Do you tip the stewardess for making an extra effort to care for you? Do you tip the pilot for landing the aircraft smoothly?

As for porters relying on tips to make up their incomes, that is nonsense, regardless of whether it is true or not. The airlines / airport companies don't follow that renumeration policy with their other workers, so why the porters?

dee_loc

you know hilston....... you are very shady if you dont want to tip, for good service that is. because as bad as it souunds, maybe the airport should give free wheelchairs and everything , but the reality is we do get told that our job is a tip job. majoity get payed 6 dollars an hour , whichis under minimum wage. and the average tip is 5 dollars. i dont consider working very hard worth two dollars especially because our job is to get people from gate to gate and such, and sometime they are very demanding. taking someone to shop in a store is going out of our way as is taking them other places not to include the bathroom, that is a given because they cannot help it if they have to use the rest room, but other places is going out of our way.

HiltonP

"Shady" . . . that's rich!

I didn't say I don't tip, I just happen to not think it is right. Most folk I know give of their very best in the course of their work, yet none of them expect, or receive, tips.

If your employer (presumeably an airline, or airport company, or outsourced company) is calling your job a tip job then you need to consider whether they are worthy of your services. By them underpaying you they are shifting the responsibility of your renumeration onto the customer, which is a reflection of how low they view you as an employee. Now that is "shady".

DeafFlyer

I live on Social Security (hopefully not for much longer though). Trying to make me feel bad about not tipping is not working. Are you saying that wheelchair pushers can't find better jobs?

djk7

Here is a previous thread on the topic.

dee_loc

sure wheelchar pushers can find better jobs, then there wont be anyone to push your cheap ... around and you can wheel your self, sont take people for granted, plus all of those other people get benefits and good pay , which is why they arent considered tip jobs, and by the way ive seen them get tips b4 and look both ways

DeafFlyer

No. When they find better jobs, airlines and airports will be forced to pay a reasonable salary to attract workers. I'm not cheap, I'm broke and can't afford all of those tips. Got any idea what it's like to be disabled and lose everythingand then try to live on SS? I didn't think so.