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Any women travelers feel invisible?

Any women travelers feel invisible?

Old Aug 12, 2014, 9:27 am
  #46  
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Originally Posted by ctporter
15% pretax is a minimum for good service. There is a good guide for tipping along with explanations found here:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...Etiquette.html
or here:
http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/tipping/
Keep in mind even the IRS expects wait staff will be earning tips, see
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc761.html

Personally, I tip a minimum of 20% when the service is good.

Do you leave a tip for the housekeeper when you stay at hotels? That is one tip I find that most fellow travelers do not.
Don't forget that tipping norms depend very much on the location as well as type of establishment. In the USA, close to 20% of the pretax bill is becoming standard in full sevice restaurants in places like NYC and other big cities plus the west coast, but not so much in other USA locations. In some countries where tips are expected, the expectation is closer to 10% for decent service in most circumstances. To complicate things, where a service charge is added, a tip of up to about 10% is expected in some countries, while in other countries, one would round up or not tip at all unless the service had been extraordinary.

I try to ask/follow educated sophisticated well-traveled locals rather than trust various tipping guides, some of which seem designed to induce dumb tourists to overtip waiters.
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Old Apr 6, 2015, 12:54 pm
  #47  
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I am just catching up with all the responses to my original post. Thanks so much all for chiming in.

I'm no shrinking violet (come on, I'm a female executive, I didn't get here by being sweet) and if I'm being ignored I speak up. However, it does always surprise me to see male business travelers being fawned over. I don't necessarily want to be fawned over, but I'd like equal treatment, particularly in the case of IRROPs.

Just last week at the UA club in Newark the bartender ignored me, despite my waves and trying to catch her eye, but immediately came over to help a man next to me as soon as he sat down. Fortunately, the man was really a gentleman and pointed out that I hadn't been served yet.

And yes, I'm glad someone brought up tipping. Women have a bad reputation for tipping. I am a good tipper (those days of being a waitress in college have stuck with me!) but I notice when I dine out with a group of female friends, they always want to lowball the tip. I'm often the person throwing an extra $5 or $10 bill on the pile as we leave. 20% is the minimum for decent service. If there's something you didn't like about your food, it's not the waitperson's fault.

ABSOLUTELY tip housekeeping. They are the hardest workers at any hotel. I usually go $3 per day if alone, or $5 if with my family. I hoard my $1 bills always, and keep them in an inner pocket of my suitcase just for this purpose.

I have had a couple of good experiences recently with flight attendants, so it's not universal. I try to give them a shoutout, either on twitter to @united, or make the effort to do the follow up flight survey and mention them.
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Old Apr 21, 2015, 11:46 am
  #48  
 
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I was lurking this thread, mostly agreeing with the comments. What did strike me though as a man who is on the road in hotels weekly, was the tipping aspect. I do find men tip better and tend to overtip. I find it fascinating the several who emphasis on pre tax tipping in that the calculation is so precise. The difference in the dollar figure would fall into the 'who cares' zone. I typically calculate roughly 10% of total bill and double it rounding up to the next dollar. Would never consider "pre-tax". I would need to bring out the calculator. I think if my associates would find it would give off the perception of being cheap. Also I worked as a bartender in my past life and men tend to tip more/drink and drink more so that means better service. If you want better service at a bar tip heavily after your first cocktail and you won't have any issues. I find tipping the bartender in London where it's not custom will often get me better service.

For those that don't like eating alone in hotel, the hotel bar is your friend. Better service and not as awkward.
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Old Apr 23, 2015, 11:32 am
  #49  
 
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The one thing I've noticed recently is that AS gives out chocolate on some of its flights to MVP Gold members. When my husband and I travel together (we are both Gold), he gets a chocolate but I don't. I guess they assume I'm sitting in the exit row because of him, not because I am also gold.
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Old Apr 24, 2015, 4:26 pm
  #50  
 
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Originally Posted by Buster
The one thing I've noticed recently is that AS gives out chocolate on some of its flights to MVP Gold members. When my husband and I travel together (we are both Gold), he gets a chocolate but I don't. I guess they assume I'm sitting in the exit row because of him, not because I am also gold.
I was just about to post that for AS, that is not normal except I was not offered the complimentary beverage that should have been offered on a recent flight. I do not think it was due to my gender though. I was sitting well in the back and the FAs all assumed all their elites were up near the front so that seemed to be a reasonable reason why, instead of just assuming I could not have been a top elite due to my gender.
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Old May 6, 2015, 3:09 pm
  #51  
 
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I think as an average traveler there's not much difference, in terms of getting the "perks" that women have earned with status I see a significant difference. I've been the highest tier of status with Air Canada and had airport staff go up to the man sitting next to me to ask "as a frequent flier would you like a spot on the earlier flight"? I asked if this was being offered to all superelites and she hemmed and hawed and said she'd check. When she left the man smiled sheepishly and admitted he wasn't even top tier. (He was very "executive looking", sharp suit etc. and I had changed into my travel clothes which although respectable didn't ooze corporate so that may have played in as well).
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Old May 6, 2015, 3:15 pm
  #52  
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Originally Posted by tlvancouver
I think as an average traveler there's not much difference, in terms of getting the "perks" that women have earned with status I see a significant difference. I've been the highest tier of status with Air Canada and had airport staff go up to the man sitting next to me to ask "as a frequent flier would you like a spot on the earlier flight"? I asked if this was being offered to all superelites and she hemmed and hawed and said she'd check. When she left the man smiled sheepishly and admitted he wasn't even top tier. (He was very "executive looking", sharp suit etc. and I had changed into my travel clothes which although respectable didn't ooze corporate so that may have played in as well).
I hope you didn't let the issue drop, letting the airport staff member go off to check and never come back to answer your direct question.
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Old May 6, 2015, 3:29 pm
  #53  
 
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
I hope you didn't let the issue drop, letting the airport staff member go off to check and never come back to answer your direct question.
Oh no, I was on the flight . The staff member did find a seat for me (he was on the flight as well), but no announcement was ever made to other superelites. I've found that what folks wear may have more of an impact than gender as I'm normally a comfort traveler (leggings, boots and a sweater instead of my suit).
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Old May 6, 2015, 5:40 pm
  #54  
 
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Maybe

Originally Posted by tlvancouver
Oh no, I was on the flight . The staff member did find a seat for me (he was on the flight as well), but no announcement was ever made to other superelites. I've found that what folks wear may have more of an impact than gender as I'm normally a comfort traveler (leggings, boots and a sweater instead of my suit).
You are on to something re dress. I fly fairly often for work, typically dressed in business attire--skirt and jacket. I really can't say I recall ever feel overlooked or invisible.
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