Question about tipping

[Mickiethepooh]

The thread here on tipping for ECV delivery, got me thinking about wheelchairs at the airport.

I have always known that a tip is expected by the people who do wheel chair assistance at the airports. and it is usually a sizable tip depeding on how far they have to take you and how long they have to wait, such as baggage claim or all the way to your car, I have tipped up to $20 for a LONG trip to the parking garage after also waiting at for my bags.

But I also see many WC assisted guests that don't have a clue they should be tipping for this service.

So I wondered how many on here, since many of us USE this service have ever tipped or do tip these people?

 

[Piper]

I always tipped when I used a wc. The amount depended on the service--how far, was it up an incline, etc. (Those poor people who have to push you up the gangway to board cruise ships!!!!!)

 

[madenon]

Yep, I tipped. But I can so understand does that didn't/don't. I didn't even know -nor even gave it a thought- tipping even for airport assistance was just as standard as tipping a server. I'm to used to it being a free service provided by the airports. Europe, Asia, Australia, never had it happen that tipping was standard. (did check both Asia and Australia as it was my first trip with the wc and not sure about what was standard)

It was actually a discussion about tipping in general here on the DIS that informed me that tipping is also pretty standard when it comes to airport assistance in the US.

Fling in I tipped the guy helping me out at DTW a fair amount. Poor fellow had to drag my suitcase, me in manual chair -helping somewhat-, a powerchair and a heavy carry on filled with medical/chair stuff. He helped me skip the -long!- lines at customs and had to cover a lot of distance.

The guy helping me at MCO, the same thing. He lugged all my stuff (by now an even bigger carry on, carry on with those medical stuff again, a way more heavy suitcase by now, the manual chair etc.) all over the airport. First to check in where the counter agent was giving me a hard time -read; he wasn't used to one person taking two chairs and got stressed out- which took quite a while. Than he took my suitcase through security while I made my way down again to the 2nd floor to fight NWA some more over them breaking my chair on the flight in and giving me a hard time about paying for it. He came and found me again on the 2nd floor and when I was finished he took me to the gate. Going through security he made sure they didn't scan my charger which meant him actually standing next to the security guard keeping his eye on the bag as they manually checked it and scanned some of it's contence. At the gate he helped me disensamble the powerchair and tried to get through to the FA to get me some assistance that was promised to be at the gate but not being there -turned out to be the standard story for the whole flight back. NWA and service aint happening?-. Never ever he gave me a look of "hurry up", no sighing, smiling all of the time, chitchatting all the way and even suggesting all kinds of things that could make my trip easier and offering more help. He definately earned his $25,-.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

For future refference, if you have a problem such as the two chairs or the breaking your chair and them paying, [which by the way they must pay full cost of repair and if replacement is needed they pay FULL price for new one, no depreciation, and none of that counts in the baggage liability amounts.]y
any way I digress, if you have a problem immediately, firmly and loudly tell them to get the CRO on duty, that is the Crisis resolution officer and they are fully familiar with the ADA rules etc. which most of the other employees are not, they also have the authority to take action, which again other employees do not. Don't let them tell you there isn't one or that you can't see one, there ALWAYS is one on duty and you have a RIGHT to see them.