Jul 22, 2016, 12:12 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
American Airlines' Employee Tip and Gifts Policy
AA employees (contract employees not included) are not allowed to accept cash or gift cards.
American Airlines limits the value of gifts to employees to $25.
Can I give a tip or gift to a flight attendant?
Oct 26, 2017, 9:36 am
#91
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Charlotte
Programs: AA EX PLAT
Posts: 89
To be honest, I've been flying AA over six decades and they've always accepted my chocolates. Then again, these days it's usually on a widebody and a box of Godive or the like still in the plastic wrapping.
The 737 will standardize to 176 seats over time, with Main Cabin seeing 30" pitch with new new Rockwell Collins - BE Aerospace Meridian Seats (already in the 737 MAX 8s). See here: AA to install new seats in 737-800s and A321s but add more to Main Cabin. Moot point, as FAA requires one FA per 50 seats (and iirc the seat blocking scheme may have failed to meet FARs).
The 737 will standardize to 176 seats over time, with Main Cabin seeing 30" pitch with new new Rockwell Collins - BE Aerospace Meridian Seats (already in the 737 MAX 8s). See here: AA to install new seats in 737-800s and A321s but add more to Main Cabin. Moot point, as FAA requires one FA per 50 seats (and iirc the seat blocking scheme may have failed to meet FARs).
Mar 8, 2018, 7:33 am
#93
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 58
You've found some worth tipping? On a serious note, no, I don't think it is appropriate to tip cash and it would be awkward when they decline it. Nor would I want to plant the seed that this is now acceptable by society and the tipping culture in general, which I have great disdain for. As other threads have mentioned, usually a box of chocolate is more acceptable.
Mar 8, 2018, 10:39 am
#96
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,625
Absolutely not. Tipping FAs would encourage management to reduce their pay further and depend on passengers to cover the difference. There are too many fees already, we don't need a "FA service fee" aka tip.
Mar 8, 2018, 11:44 am
#97
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EP, AA AC
Posts: 4,268
Where I have never tipped FAs, when my daughter was a girl scout, I would buy many boxes of girl scout cookies and give them to the crews to enjoy as an expression of my thanks for their service. It was always well received.
Safe Travels
Safe Travels
Mar 8, 2018, 12:45 pm
#99
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYF/YLW
Programs: AA, DL, AS, VA, WS Silver
Posts: 5,951
The skycaps are the exception. They are not airline employees and are paid wages that assume they'll get tips (ie below minimum wage). Or at least were in the past; I can't keep up because I never use curb-side checkin. (And there's a separate saga about AA collecting a curb-side check-in fee which customers thought was a tip but didn't actually go to the skycap.)
The reality is that, with American (the country, not the airline) tipping culture, consumers are generally expected to somehow know which customer-facing workers are professional employees (therefore salaried and not expecting/able to accept tips) and who is a contractor or other employee (who is expecting tips and often paid a lower wage as a consequence), essentially guessing for ourselves without any real information what an appropriate wage for a given level of service is. But American Airlines employees, including FAs (not to be confused with some contractors, but FAs working for contract airlines are like AA-employed FAs) cannot accept tips. Whether they're paid decent wages is another topic.
The reality is that, with American (the country, not the airline) tipping culture, consumers are generally expected to somehow know which customer-facing workers are professional employees (therefore salaried and not expecting/able to accept tips) and who is a contractor or other employee (who is expecting tips and often paid a lower wage as a consequence), essentially guessing for ourselves without any real information what an appropriate wage for a given level of service is. But American Airlines employees, including FAs (not to be confused with some contractors, but FAs working for contract airlines are like AA-employed FAs) cannot accept tips. Whether they're paid decent wages is another topic.
Last edited by ashill; Mar 8, 2018 at 2:08 pm
Mar 8, 2018, 1:10 pm
#100
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,499
Mar 8, 2018, 1:15 pm
#101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Mar 8, 2018, 3:06 pm
#102
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
If you've developed a close friendship with a flight attendant through frequent travel on routes they work, then I can see a gift box of chocolates or some such being appropriate during the holidays.
A cash tip or gift would be very tacky, unless maybe you say "keep the change" as you pay cash for food on an Eagle flight. Actually, don't do that either - if you must part with your change, donate it to a charity.
I'm sympathetic to the low pay of FAs as much as anyone, but tipping is neither customary nor a good solution.
A cash tip or gift would be very tacky, unless maybe you say "keep the change" as you pay cash for food on an Eagle flight. Actually, don't do that either - if you must part with your change, donate it to a charity.
I'm sympathetic to the low pay of FAs as much as anyone, but tipping is neither customary nor a good solution.
Mar 8, 2018, 4:42 pm
#103
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,416
Merging with existing “tipping flight attendant” thread.
Also, let’s try to keep the conversation focused on AA; general commentary about tipping culture is not appropriate for this forum. Thanks. /Moderator
Also, let’s try to keep the conversation focused on AA; general commentary about tipping culture is not appropriate for this forum. Thanks. /Moderator
Last edited by JY1024; Mar 8, 2018 at 4:49 pm
Mar 8, 2018, 7:29 pm
#104
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: New York, New York
Programs: AA Gold, Alaska MVP; Free Agent Super Duper Diamond Treasure Chest ;)
Posts: 4,682
This is a very legit concern. I imagine with their already low pay the FAs wouldn't mind getting a 15% service charge added on each ticket the airlines sell, if the $$$ goes to them.
Mar 8, 2018, 9:02 pm
#105
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270