Per Diem
#11
$100-120 on a four day trip or $400 per month. On stand ups, about $15 or about $200 per month.
For me, perdiem on multi day trips just barely covers meals (a couple beers with dinner and I never brown bag). The only time I can "make" money is if I am on stand-ups since I don't eat.
For me, perdiem on multi day trips just barely covers meals (a couple beers with dinner and I never brown bag). The only time I can "make" money is if I am on stand-ups since I don't eat.
#12
Im with you on this one...I stopped tipping last year when I found out I was going to be furloughed. I am back now, and if I have a buck in my wallet I will give it to the van driver...but only if it is deserved. Show up 30 minutes late with an attitude problem and your outa luck. Or should I say outa buck
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Position: Satan's Camaro
Posts: 397
I give the Van driver a smile and a thank you. Unless they stand in the way and force me not to I always load my own bags in the back and offer to load the Capt's and the FA's bags too. He drove me from the airport to the hotel and back. It is not rocket science. Added to the fact he makes more than I do in a year. No one tips me for flying them halfways across the country and back. (Let me make it clear I don't want tips) The point of my rant is not everyone has the want or the means to tip them and when they stand there expecting it, it just makes them look bad.
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Position: Satan's Camaro
Posts: 397
I can't believe some of you are actually defending your miserly practices. You should be ashamed of yourself. From my experiences you get what you pay for. These people are making minimum wage plus tips, and they now have your life in there hands. Tip for a job well done, and maybe the safe, on-time, and pleasant van drivers will continue to show up for work.
#15
$400-500/mo is a good estimate but it depends on what kinds of trips you fly and how often. Someone that flies day trips and 2-days is going to see significantly less per diem than someone who does 4-days. Personally, I wouldn't go putting it down on a mortgage application as income since it is meant to cover expenses on the road, which do pop up (van driver tips, food, transportation, hotel if you can't commute home, etc). I kind of look at it as a company-provided "rainy day fund".
And Christ guys! Tip your van drivers! A buck is NOT going to break the bank! If money is that tight for you, might be time to sell the boat, the sports car or the trophy wife. If I fly with one more captain who doesn't tip a van driver who is waiting at the curb, opens the door, hefts the bags AND offers you a coke when you get in the van then I am going to rip those 4 bars right off his or her damn shoulders! Ever wonder why van drivers seem less than thrilled to have to deal with airline crews? Its probably because most of the ones they deal with are miserable, whiny, demanding and cheap! A dollar and a "thank you" can go a long way to earning some goodwill at the bell desk.
And Christ guys! Tip your van drivers! A buck is NOT going to break the bank! If money is that tight for you, might be time to sell the boat, the sports car or the trophy wife. If I fly with one more captain who doesn't tip a van driver who is waiting at the curb, opens the door, hefts the bags AND offers you a coke when you get in the van then I am going to rip those 4 bars right off his or her damn shoulders! Ever wonder why van drivers seem less than thrilled to have to deal with airline crews? Its probably because most of the ones they deal with are miserable, whiny, demanding and cheap! A dollar and a "thank you" can go a long way to earning some goodwill at the bell desk.
Holy crap...if you are getting this worked up over a personal decision to tip the driver, then I can only imagine how much of a gem you are to fly with. Geeze, chill out.
Do you ask to see how much your friends tip your servers when you're at dinner? That's a personal decision, and for you to get ALL worked up like you are about this is ridiculous. We really have no clue as to each crew member's finances and for us to get so upset about giving a dollar to every driver is not fair. Yes, there are some guys who are just plain cheap and don't care. And, yes, there are those who honestly can't afford an extra $30 a month to tip their drives. Get off their case and worry about yourself.
I make about $300 - $400 a month just on per diem. That's holding a line and flying 3-4 day trips.
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Maddog FO
Posts: 653
I can't believe some of you are actually defending your miserly practices. You should be ashamed of yourself. From my experiences you get what you pay for. These people are making minimum wage plus tips, and they now have your life in there hands. Tip for a job well done, and maybe the safe, on-time, and pleasant van drivers will continue to show up for work.
#17
Speaking of van drivers....
I had a 4:15 van show and as I was leaving my room at 4:13 my phone started to ring. I assumed it was the over eager captain just making sure I was on my way. When I showed up to the van and asked who called me the van driver replied "I did, the other 2 were here and I wanted to make sure you were coming."
This really got me mad, early show and I have the van driver calling my room. I explained it was not appropriate for him to call me room to check on me, expecially when I was a few minutes early.
oh and yeah....$450 a month for perdiem for all 4 day trips I bid. It is actually more when you factor you will be writing off the perdiem not paid by the company but allowed by the gov, so thats another $50 a month.
I had a 4:15 van show and as I was leaving my room at 4:13 my phone started to ring. I assumed it was the over eager captain just making sure I was on my way. When I showed up to the van and asked who called me the van driver replied "I did, the other 2 were here and I wanted to make sure you were coming."
This really got me mad, early show and I have the van driver calling my room. I explained it was not appropriate for him to call me room to check on me, expecially when I was a few minutes early.
oh and yeah....$450 a month for perdiem for all 4 day trips I bid. It is actually more when you factor you will be writing off the perdiem not paid by the company but allowed by the gov, so thats another $50 a month.
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: 7ER B...whatever that means.
Posts: 3,982
Holy crap...if you are getting this worked up over a personal decision to tip the driver, then I can only imagine how much of a gem you are to fly with. Geeze, chill out.
Do you ask to see how much your friends tip your servers when you're at dinner? That's a personal decision, and for you to get ALL worked up like you are about this is ridiculous. We really have no clue as to each crew member's finances and for us to get so upset about giving a dollar to every driver is not fair. Yes, there are some guys who are just plain cheap and don't care. And, yes, there are those who honestly can't afford an extra $30 a month to tip their drives. Get off their case and worry about yourself.
I make about $300 - $400 a month just on per diem. That's holding a line and flying 3-4 day trips.
Do you ask to see how much your friends tip your servers when you're at dinner? That's a personal decision, and for you to get ALL worked up like you are about this is ridiculous. We really have no clue as to each crew member's finances and for us to get so upset about giving a dollar to every driver is not fair. Yes, there are some guys who are just plain cheap and don't care. And, yes, there are those who honestly can't afford an extra $30 a month to tip their drives. Get off their case and worry about yourself.
I make about $300 - $400 a month just on per diem. That's holding a line and flying 3-4 day trips.
PS
The guys that tend to not tip are usually the same guys who would rather rot in their room making trips back and forth to the ice machine, only punctuating that excitement with thoughts about how to use the coffee pot to make that perfect omelet. You can count me out of THAT good time.
Last edited by freezingflyboy; 03-10-2009 at 06:03 PM.
#19
And Christ guys! Tip your van drivers! A buck is NOT going to break the bank! If money is that tight for you, might be time to sell the boat, the sports car or the trophy wife. If I fly with one more captain who doesn't tip a van driver who is waiting at the curb, opens the door, hefts the bags AND offers you a coke when you get in the van then I am going to rip those 4 bars right off his or her damn shoulders! Ever wonder why van drivers seem less than thrilled to have to deal with airline crews? Its probably because most of the ones they deal with are miserable, whiny, demanding and cheap! A dollar and a "thank you" can go a long way to earning some goodwill at the bell desk.
I still get a kick out of the fact that the tip rate hasn't gone up in over 20 years - but then since pay rates have been going down I guess tip rates wouldn't be going up huh? Too sad
USMCFLYR
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: 7ER B...whatever that means.
Posts: 3,982
Speaking of van drivers....
I had a 4:15 van show and as I was leaving my room at 4:13 my phone started to ring. I assumed it was the over eager captain just making sure I was on my way. When I showed up to the van and asked who called me the van driver replied "I did, the other 2 were here and I wanted to make sure you were coming."
This really got me mad, early show and I have the van driver calling my room. I explained it was not appropriate for him to call me room to check on me, expecially when I was a few minutes early.
oh and yeah....$450 a month for perdiem for all 4 day trips I bid. It is actually more when you factor you will be writing off the perdiem not paid by the company but allowed by the gov, so thats another $50 a month.
I had a 4:15 van show and as I was leaving my room at 4:13 my phone started to ring. I assumed it was the over eager captain just making sure I was on my way. When I showed up to the van and asked who called me the van driver replied "I did, the other 2 were here and I wanted to make sure you were coming."
This really got me mad, early show and I have the van driver calling my room. I explained it was not appropriate for him to call me room to check on me, expecially when I was a few minutes early.
oh and yeah....$450 a month for perdiem for all 4 day trips I bid. It is actually more when you factor you will be writing off the perdiem not paid by the company but allowed by the gov, so thats another $50 a month.
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