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Curb Check-In Agent Tracks Down My Friend for Not Tipping. Is this Common?

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Curb Check-In Agent Tracks Down My Friend for Not Tipping. Is this Common?

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Old Jul 24, 2016, 4:46 pm
  #31  
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Originally Posted by davie355
Skycaps who intentionally damage or misdirect luggage should not just be fired. The airline should sue the skycap on behalf of the inconvenienced passenger.
Yeah, that'll happen. Because airlines are soooo concerned about inconveniencing passengers.
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Old Jul 24, 2016, 5:06 pm
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by zort2001
If they are not employees of Southwest, Why do they have the southwest uniform on ? Am I letting someone else control my luggage (AKA security question at counter). tracking you down for a tip is wrong. I do tip for extra service. but it is just a way for the company to servitude workers and gouge the consumer for some more money.

Southwest is just like the others with a bit more polish on the outside. Executives care about executives $$$. not the customers or real workers.

curb side service is only available because company makes staff at counters inside short handed to induce the long lines. making the curb extra fee/tip attractive.
I'm sorry, for your pain.
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Old Jul 24, 2016, 5:31 pm
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by zort2001
If they are not employees of Southwest, Why do they have the southwest uniform on ? Am I letting someone else control my luggage (AKA security question at counter). tracking you down for a tip is wrong. I do tip for extra service. but it is just a way for the company to servitude workers and gouge the consumer for some more money.

Southwest is just like the others with a bit more polish on the outside. Executives care about executives $$$. not the customers or real workers.

curb side service is only available because company makes staff at counters inside short handed to induce the long lines. making the curb extra fee/tip attractive.
Asking "The Security Question at the Counter" was discontinued many years ago.
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Old Jul 24, 2016, 9:10 pm
  #34  
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I always tell them to "Take a hike" and go inside to the ticket counter where there is usually no line and an actual employee takes care of me. At MCO the skycaps usually have lines outside while there are no lines inside, and no tipping/fees required.
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Old Jul 25, 2016, 9:06 am
  #35  
 
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The only time I use skycaps come with extra generous tips...a $20 outside is way cheaper than $75 over-weight bag fee inside
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Old Jul 25, 2016, 9:17 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by airplanegod
I always tell them to "Take a hike" and go inside to the ticket counter where there is usually no line and an actual employee takes care of me. At MCO the skycaps usually have lines outside while there are no lines inside, and no tipping/fees required.
I was going to post that I don't really "get" skycaps as the line is almost always shorter inside the terminal, at least when I've been paying attention. I remember that before the self tag kiosks opened at HOU I would just SMH at the people standing in long skycap line in the Houston heat instead of at least waiting in the AC.
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Old Jul 25, 2016, 9:17 am
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by palmetto86
The only time I use skycaps come with extra generous tips...a $20 outside is way cheaper than $75 over-weight bag fee inside
When they let it slide... I've been weighed & forced to repack more than a few times even while holding the tip in my other hand. I imagine varies airport by airport, MCI nails me most of the time.
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Old Jul 25, 2016, 9:32 am
  #38  
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Originally Posted by joshua362
When they let it slide... I've been weighed & forced to repack more than a few times even while holding the tip in my other hand. I imagine varies airport by airport, MCI nails me most of the time.
I'd decrease the tip in that case.
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Old Jul 25, 2016, 9:45 am
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by alggag
I was going to post that I don't really "get" skycaps as the line is almost always shorter inside the terminal, at least when I've been paying attention. I remember that before the self tag kiosks opened at HOU ....
The self tag kiosks at MDW sometimes feature interminably long lines however. Hard to predict until you get in and see.
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Old Jul 25, 2016, 11:08 am
  #40  
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Originally Posted by 737MAX
Some airports in the SWA network have SWA skycaps/curbside check in, most of the small/non hub cities are contractors who make $2-$3 an hour and work for tips.
Thank you. This clears up some of the discussion on this thread.
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Old Jul 25, 2016, 3:43 pm
  #41  
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A skycap tracking down a non-tipper is unacceptable. I would report the person. The skycap handles a hundred or more bags during a shift: he's going to get generous tippers flipping $5-10/bag, standard two-buck-a-bag tippers, and the occasional guy who stiffs him. If he can't handle it, he should find another line of work. During the time he spent chasing down the person who didn't tip, he probably missed out on 5 customers who would have tipped.

I'm a rare skycap user...I only do it when there are no additional fees, and I'm a fairly standard tipper...$2-3/bag. If the skycap tried to charge me $2 up front, I would not tip extra on top of that. Since I half-expect the skycap to then get pissed about it, I simply don't use the service at places where they're tacking on that junk fee.

I wish more airports moved the skycaps to the rental car facility. I'd use them more there (and tip, of course).
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Old Jul 25, 2016, 3:47 pm
  #42  
 
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Just my 2 cents.

1) I'm surprised this thread has been going on so long.

2) I usually use the baggage line in the terminal since I can wait out of the weather and it's usually just as quick, often quicker (especially since I'm A-List)
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 10:16 am
  #43  
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totally inappropriate and that employee should be terminated, or at least written up.

Tipping is VOLUNTARY, and is therefore not required and completely at the liberty of the customer.

Being pursued and shamed for doing what you are perfectly entitled to do (not tip) is horrific customer service, and their employer should know about it.
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 12:30 pm
  #44  
 
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Depending on the airport many skycaps provide other services asides from just check in. It's very possible that the skycaps happened to be walking by near the security line and happened to notice the customer that didn't tip. While I agree that it was inappropriate to go over to the customer I highly doubt that the skycap actually went out of his way and tracked the customer down.

Other services that I've seen skycaps perform are assisting customers with their luggage (putting it on their big carts) and escorting them to the inside check-in counter for situations that the skycaps can't handle (unaccompanied minor, international flights, etc). Also some airports have skycaps at baggage claim to assist customers with luggage.
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Old Jul 27, 2016, 1:05 pm
  #45  
 
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He should be fired. Or suspended. At least reprimanded. Maybe verbally. Ah, heck, give him a raise...sounds like a go-getter to me!
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