I guess there are no labor laws in Costa Rica. Maybe the guy who hauls banana's all day should be able to earn a living wage. God forbid we would have to pay ten cents more per pound! What I gather from this is that some people who fly a gazillion miles and have all sorts of memberships and privileges do not want to kick in a buck or two to the people who provide a service. A tip is a way to reward someone who works hard (regardless of your definition)-it is not required. Heck, horrible CEO's get bonuses that exceed all the skycaps salaries combined. Be kind and generous- especially those that can afford $5000 luggage.

Oh and by the way $50,000 in NYC for a family is not even middle class.