“You’re going to have a tip ready for me when I deliver the bags, right?”

This is always a tough area for me. While you shouldn’t need Baggage Express’ service, they are still providing you a service. It’s not the driver’s fault that American lost your bags, so I can see a justification for tipping him (although blatantly asking for one is never acceptable).

Had a similar situation last week while staying in Atlantic City. For some reason housekeeping didn’t service our room one day (although we were gone from 11:15AM to 5:30PM and 6:00PM to 2:00AM, so there was plenty of time for them to do so). We called the front desk and they sent housekeepers up at 2AM to change the sheets and towels. I chose to tip them because the housekeepers working at 2AM are certainly not the ones that skipped our room and they were providing a service to us at an odd hour.

If service is worthy of a tip, I think it can still justify a tip even if that service shouldn’t have been necessary to begin with — it’s not that person’s fault that someone else screwed up.

That is crazy. When I first arrived in Ireland to study there, the cab driver who drove my friend and I from the airport to our apartment unpacked our bags, told us the fare and then added very loudly – that’s excluding tip! We learned from our Irish friends later that you don’t tip in Ireland.

@Claire – Housekeeping never even came into the room. We actually only requested fresh towels when we called (as we had left them on the bathroom floor as requested if we wanted them changed), but the desk sent us housekeepers. They wanted to provide complete service (vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, etc.) even at 2AM but we told them it was unnecessary.

I do see your point about not tipping a UPS driver. Tipping the Baggage Express person is not necessary, but I would not consider it unreasonable to tip them. However, as I said before, directly soliciting tips is completely unacceptable.

It was probably the individual driver’s idea to specifically request a tip, rather than Baggage Express policy. But as tacky as it is to flat-out request a tip, it’s even worse to do so over the telephone prior to arriving with the bag. That implies that proper service won’t be provided if the customer’s answer isn’t in the affirmative. What if you had said “Wrong, I will not have a tip ready for you. See you in five.” Would he spit on your bags, or drop by the bar on the way?

Of course, my head gets dizzy thinking about all the people one should or shouldn’t tip. For example, I have no problem tipping curbside check-in guys at the airport, because the service is such a time-saver, but I do find it annoying when the surly dudes at LaGuardia go out of their way to remind you that you *should* tip. Half the time they don’t help you with the bags at all. In those situations, it should be referred to as a fee rather than a tip, because a tip implies an extra reward for good service.

Travelers should make an effort to know who they should tip (there are many articles that cover this topic) but service providers should not be the ones to “educate” their customers. If a delivery guy gets stiffed by a customer who is simply ignorant of convention, that’s just tough luck. And if this sad fact of life is too frustrating to deal with, find a different line of work.

Just curious: I always tip the driver of the rental car shuttle bus a couple of bucks, especially if he helps with the bags. Anybody else do this?

@Victor:

I had similar happen when I was checking bags in curbside at the New Orleans airport. I had my money out to tip, but apparently the value was too low as the handler said “You treat us well and we’ll treat you well.” Great, so now I’m in a position where if I don’t shell out more money (I was intending around $2 per bag), I may never see my bags again! Talk about a shakedown.

It seems to me that a tip is inappropriate in this situation. Since AA screwed up they should be responsible for all reasonable charges incurred as a result. For example, I received some breakfast coupons as compensation for a hotel’s screw-up. These coupons noted that the tip was already included. That was very different from the coupons I get for being an elite member in a loyalty program. Similarly, once when AA re-routed me to Orange County because my flight to LA was canceled, they gave me a taxi coupon which included the gratuity.

Fortunately, I always have the bags delivered to the concierge (whom should be tipped) which takes car of the tip issue.

I probably would have flatly told the driver that after he delivered my bag, he could contact AA for a tip. And if he had an issue with that, or did anything he shouldn’t be doing to my bags, I’d be on the phone with AA.

When a delayed bag was delivered to my hotel, the front desk called to inform me it had arrived. Several minutes later they called to tell me the delivery person was still there and needed a signature. Balony. Bags and packages have been left with the front desk before. If I was out he would have had to leave it. Because he was pressing for a tip and made me come down to the lobby before I was ready, I didn’t tip him. Delivery people are paid a wage and this was his job, and in the above case, it is more than outragious, it is indeed extortion. A verbal tip of some sort would have been appropriate.

And I’m considered a good tipper.

As for curb side service, the few times I use it, I tip them apx. $5.00 a bag because this is a huge time saving service and it’s worth it to avoid check in lines. And yes, I take care of them so they will take care of me. Greasing the wheel helps. But to extort you for money with an implied threat of bad service is wrong and should be reported.

As far as rental car and hotel shuttles, I always tip but only if the driver helps with the bags.

Michael, I agree with you that if service is worthy of a tip even if it wasn’t that person’s fault, you should do it. Glad you tipped the 2:00am staff. But the delivery person that blatantly pushes for it. No Way

I would have given him $1 per bag – just like the skycap. And then told him that he would have gotten more if he hadn’t asked. It is not like you are EVER gonna see this guy again – the turnover in the bag service companies is faster than in a fast food joint.

Be happy they delivered it! I just flew Delta/KLM to Djibouti. On arrival in Addis Ababa, I discovered my luggage didn’t. 7 days later, I received a phone call that my bag was in the airport and I could pick it up. $50.00 in cab fare later, I had my bag complete with a broken wheel and a tear across the front. I guess the good news is since it was a Briggs & Riley bag, I can get it repaired for free.

Of course a lost bag is a situation that doesn’t require a tip (if anything, the airline should automatically include $20 for the inconvenience). Given the tone of the driver, it’s okay in this case to mumble something like “um, sure”, then when the bag is delivered ask to examine it, sign the papers, then walk away with an “oops, don’t have any cash; check with the airline.”

I tip (well) when I *choose* a service that customarily calls for tipping (hotel housekeeper, restaurant, cab in some countries, etc), but I didn’t choose to have my bag delayed and delivered later; I was perfectly willing to pick it up when I landed and take it myself, but the airline didn’t do on it’s part.

Oh, the nerve of that delivery driver – coming right out and ASKING in advance for a tip…!! I think both Robert Smith’s and Kevin Brady’s suggestions are excellent ones – a tip shouldn’t be “mandatory”, only when the person being tipped has done their job well. In my case, I would have made it sound like I would then hand them a nice shiny penny.

Tinsley M–

I completely understand your anger. It was, however, the airline–not the baggage delivery guy–who lost your luggage.

My response on the phone would be a polite “yes”.

When the delivery person got there, and delivered my bag he would undoubtedly ask AGAIN for the tip at which point I would say, “Here’s a tip, it’s rude to ASK for a tip.”

Alternately I’ve used “Don’t stare directly into the sun” as a tip for someone demanding a tip.

I think they both get the point across.

T – Your analysis is not complete. It may not be the baggage delivery driver’s fault that the bag was lost, but his company is contracted by the AIRLINE THAT LOST IT TO DELIVER IT TO FULFILL THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE FLYER. Whether they use their own car, insurance, etc. is not relevant – - they chose to work for that company to deliver the bags. If they feel they are not being properly compensated, they need to look for a different job, not solicit/extort money from the person who was already screwed.

Oh, and just so you know – - this comes from someone who spent 10 years delivering pizza using his own car, insurance, gas, etc. and saw great tippers and lousy tippers.