Airport Tipping Question (Curbside check in/SkyCap)

[DMRick]

If at your airport the curbside guys are wearing the SW uniform then the rules are different. I have never seen this and would dare say that 90% of the curbside guys are NOT airline employees. I know that in both Nashville and Orlando for example they are not airline employees. QUOTE]

They were wearing SW uniforms at both "my" airport (Albany) and in Orlando when we went last month. I just talked to a gal from SW, and they are SW employees and paid the same as the counter people. We do tip them, as they work outside in any weather, just not as much as I would someone not having a paycheck as well, such as the skycaps.

I would not be happy if there was a chance I would not see my luggage, if I didn't give a good enough or any tip. I would think they could get in a lot of trouble if they sent my luggage elsewhere on purpose. You know of this happening? I hope it was reported.

 

[ncbyrne]

http://www.maweddingguide.com/planning/honeymoon/tipping.htm
I used the info on this site - which says to tip $2 for FOUR bags and .50 for additional. I thought I was being extrememly generous tipping $1 per bag!

 

[CarolA]

Well, the ones at Delta in Orlando are not DL employees. (And I know that all the guys in Nashville are not airline employees. I travel so much they know me on site and they move LOL!)

Luggage gets "lost" for lots of reasons. Trying to prove it was a skycap could be difficult, but most Frequent Flyers are pretty sure those guys have the ablility and opportunity to "lose" your lugagge.

And if you are trying the "overweight" trick. (checking with the skycap to avoid overweight charges) tipping may be your only hope! If you don't tip, they can always decide to weigh the luggage (minumum extra charge about $50!)

By the way, from SW web page (under contract of carraige)

"Carrier will not accept as baggage any item having outside measurement 60 inches or that weigh more then 50 pounds" It also says that if you are military you can have a duffle bag that weighs up to 70 pounds.

Note: this was effective 1/16/05 and the website has not been fully updated so I have no idea what they are doing right now, but better safe then sorry!

 

[DMRick]

By the way, from SW web page (under contract of carraige)

"Carrier will not accept as baggage any item having outside measurement 60 inches or that weigh more then 50 pounds" It also says that if you are military you can have a duffle bag that weighs up to 70 pounds.

Note: this was effective 1/16/05 and the website has not been fully updated so I have no idea what they are doing right now, but better safe then sorry!

I was only looking at SW curbside checkin I think I mentioned that. I got my answer from calling them. I didn't think to ask about the luggage change.

My quote came from the SW website as well..but under SW policys, backage area. They must not have upgraded it yet. I'll have to cut back and take off my "heavy" sticker LOL. Where would I find contract of carriage?

 

[CarolA]

It is on the website. It is an adobe file on there. Someone on Flyertalk.com linked me to it and I don't have the link.

I doubt they are enforcing the new limits yet, but I have no idea when they will start.

 

[DMRick]

I found it. Very interesting. Obviously, they'll have to amend their website before they can enforce it.
I wonder if this has to do with the merge o fthe other airline. Funny, that your carryon can weigh anything..wish they would limit those.

 

[MHopkins2]

I don't concern myself with "Good gravy! If everyone paid them that much, they'd make a mint." Two vs five vs. ten bucks makes essentially zero difference in my vacation budget, and I like to reward people who treat me well. Saving me the horrendous wait in line definitely qualifies as such in my book.

On the way home from my last trip, my large suitcase was (absurdly) overweight from all my shopping. The guy regretfully informed me that it would be a $25 overweight charge. I gave him $30 in cash, said the extra $5 was his tip, and that no receipt was necessary. Whatttayaknow? My bags were the very first off the conveyor belt, with big fuschia stickers on them that said "Priority Passenger." Heh.

 

[DMRick]

I don't concern myself with "Good gravy! If everyone paid them that much, they'd make a mint."
*********
To each their own. I pay attention to my dollars so I can afford multiple trips (and as you know there are a few people to tip along the way..the guy who takes it out of my trunk and brings it to the shuttle, shuttle driver both ways, and the baggage guy adds up each trip). We're retired, and love to travel, and do so often albeit on a budget, so for us, it adds up. I figure if they can move 60 pieces of luggage an hour, the $60 an hour is a good pay. I'd be happy with it..and it sounds like they do a lot better than that. If they want to lose my luggage because I don't tip enough..well that would make me not want to tip or use them at all...but so far our luggage has always made it and in good shape. If the cost was more than $1 a bag, we'd just bring it inside, and wait what is usually a 10-15 wait. We have nothing better to do, once we are there. So I guess if they only get our dollar per bag (which is a few bags), and others give them $5 a bag and more, they do alright for themselves, and I won't feel bad.

 

[ladydancer]

We usually have 2-3 bags so I give them $5.

 

[skiwee1]

The Las Vegas standard is $2.00 - $5.00 per bag. Anyone working outside of the airport doing curb side service should be tipped for the convience they provide you.

While I consider myself a great tipper I think I might have to carry my own bags in Vegas! LOL! There is NO WAY I'd ever pay $5 for each of my bags unless he was carrying them to my hotel room on his back. On our last trip to Utah we had 15 bags. That would have been $75 for the guy to move them 4 foot to the belt. I do tip a minimum of $5 but that is only when I have one bag. Why does it matter where the skycaps are located at in reference to the tip?

 

[skiwee1]

$2.00 - $5.00
**********

Whew..I'd walk the extra 30 feet before I would give up that much money. They must make an awful lot an hour if each person gives them up to $5.00 a bag. I'm still curious if the guys we give our bags to are regular SW employees (they are wearing SW uniforms). Not the sky caps..when we use them we give more, since they only work for tips.

We tip the employees as we would regular skycaps. They are providing a service.

 

[skiwee1]

Most curbside guys are the same as skycaps and do NOT work for the airlines. As is the case in most of these cases they are not paid a living wage and depend on tips. If you want your luggage to arrrive where you do, when you do TIP!

If at your airport the curbside guys are wearing the SW uniform then the rules are different. I have never seen this and would dare say that 90% of the curbside guys are NOT airline employees. I know that in both Nashville and Orlando for example they are not airline employees. Most of them worked thier way up from the guys trotting around to these better jobs.

At our airport, BWI, the ouside of the building is lined with desks that service all the different airlines. You pull up to the airline desk that you are flying out of and give the airline employees your bags. All of these guys have airline specific uniforms on. You cannot even find a skycap outside unless you catch one coming in from helping someone to their car upon departure. On return flights there are no airline specific employees near the luggage returns, only skycaps that work for the airport.

 

[beattyfamily]

At our airport, BWI, the ouside of the building is lined with desks that service all the different airlines. You pull up to the airline desk that you are flying out of and give the airline employees your bags. All of these guys have airline specific uniforms on. You cannot even find a skycap outside unless you catch one coming in from helping someone to their car upon departure. On return flights there are no airline specific employees near the luggage returns, only skycaps that work for the airport.

ITA, that's how it is for us as well.

 

[DMRick]

We tip the employees as we would regular skycaps.
***********
I'm just curious..do you tip the people behind the counter, when you go inside?

 

[skiwee1]

We tip the employees as we would regular skycaps.
***********
I'm just curious..do you tip the people behind the counter, when you go inside?

I have never had to deal with anyone at the counter in years and years so I doubt it. If I ever had to go to the counter for some horrible reason my answer would still be no because you still have to bring in your own luggage from your car and then lift it onto their belt. The counter people don't have to life the luggage. When checking in curbside the employee lifts it onto a cart, checks me in, takes my luggage to the counter where HE checks it in and hande me my luggage tickets. He does the heavy work so he gets the tip.

 

[beattyfamily]

I have never had to deal with anyone at the counter in years and years so I doubt it. If I ever had to go to the counter for some horrible reason my answer would still be no because you still have to bring in your own luggage from your car and then lift it onto their belt. The counter people don't have to life the luggage. When checking in curbside the employee lifts it onto a cart, checks me in, takes my luggage to the counter where HE checks it in and hande me my luggage tickets. He does the heavy work so he gets the tip.

I agree with this as well. I would not tip the counter people inside as it's not a 'special' service. The outside, curbside check-in is a special, quicker, more convenient service.

They print my boarding passes, take my luggage and tag it and save me so much time, I tip them for the special service.

I would not tip the counter people inside if for some strange reason I had to go inside (like right after 9/11 when curbside was stopped at Logan) as it's not a special, more convenient service.

 

[safetymom]

I have flown in and out of many airports in the US and at every one the people behind the counter don't work for the airline. Many of them also have a sign mentioning that they don't work for the airline but for tips. Guess I haven't flown to the ones you posters are mentioning to see actual airline employees manning the outside check in desks.

Are these all Southwest check in desks? I have never flown Southwest.

 

[Cinderpals]

I recently went and did curbside check-in from Dulles to Orlando. 2 bags, tipped $5, but had to go inside and print out our boarding passes with easy check-in. Okay, 1st time they didn't print my boarding passes at curbside. Small lines were forming at easy check in too. On the way back, I didn't do curbside because I had just paid an airport worker $7 for a $3 cart because he didn't have correct change for my $20! (My fault, should have check-in first before returning rental car) So did automated check-in, then wheeled my bag and car seat about 20 feet and had to ask 3 of the laziest people in the airport to take a few steps (meaning 1-2) to my cart and get the one bag and 1 car seat off of my cart! They were having a good 'ol time talking to eachother and taking bags from people walking them right up to them. I couldn't get through with the cart because of all of the dividing polls strewn around. I guess that it wasn't their job to move them to the side, and out of people's way! These people weren't old either, like the curbside Joes were! It was very annoying! Even while on vacation, I can't stand to see lazy people whom you know are getting paid!

 

[DMRick]

********Are these all Southwest check in desks? I have never flown Southwest.

As I mentioned, for myself, yes, it was Southwest. They do have a little sign that says tips appreciated in Albany, but I didn't see a sign in Orlando. He didn't turn it down, though LOL.

*******The counter people don't have to life the luggage

The counter people at SW have to lift it here in Albany off the weigh in where we put it and put it on the belt behind them. And although we get it lifted off the shuttle when going to the airport from where we park (and tip him), we then bring it up to the curbside check in ourselves. When going from the rental lot at Orlando, we bring it over to the curbside check in ourselves also. So I guess that explains the difference in the tipping. I'm doing a lot of my own work.

 

[skiwee1]

I have flown in and out of many airports in the US and at every one the people behind the counter don't work for the airline. Many of them also have a sign mentioning that they don't work for the airline but for tips. Guess I haven't flown to the ones you posters are mentioning to see actual airline employees manning the outside check in desks.

Are these all Southwest check in desks? I have never flown Southwest.

You couldn't pay me to fly SW! To answer your question though at our airport ALL the airlines have their own check in desks curbside. All the people manning these desks work for their particular airline. This is at BWI. I don't know how it is at other airports though.