I'm not happy at all with the lousy compensation and lack of benefits that service workers get in the US. These workers also pay exorbitant amounts to commute to the airport even though my tax dollars paid for the public transit. I also believe tipping encourages the powers that be to continue this practice. Nevertheless, I do tip while in the US although I am very unhappy about that.

When traveling with disabled family members, I almost always tip $5. $10 is rare (you had to spend a ton of time with us and be real chatty in a pleasant way). Unlike some folks, $10 tip over and over again for me will make my wallet very unhappy so it's almost never going to happen. I do not tip in overseas locations where tipping is not common unless the service is exceptional. I do not tip for the trip from the gate to the plane or other short excursions.

At Denver off of an international flight, we got top notch service from the supervisor of the company doing the wheelchairs from the gate, through immigration, and to bag recheck. There weren't enough pushers inside the immigration area. He refused the rare $10 tip and simply said that his underlings are the ones that need the tip.