FixTheMess

Please tell me there were other legitimate reasons for not writing them a recommendation. Who knows what the reason was for why they didn't tip for a 4 day, but if you based your decision to not write the recommendation solely on that one incident, I'd say you're the disgrace.

dontsurf

the deductible part is actually the difference between the per diem you are paid and the allowable me&i expenses (actually 80% of the difference for dot professionals like pilots). surely everyone that does their own taxes knows that? unless you get a massive amount of per diem (i get $1.70 per hour i think, and it comes nowhere close to the allowable amount), that is a healthy deduction each year. if and only if you're itemizing your deductions, that is.

DYNASTY HVY

If I remember correctly an individual would only be able to claim 70 % of the deductible amount .

Ally

robthree

The way I remember it is an employee covered by DOT time and duty limits can deduct 100% of the M&IE allowance, less any amount reimbursed by the employer - ie your actual pocketed per diem.

Disclaimer: Not a tax expert. Verify with an aviation tax professional. I've heard that many non-aviation tax preparers don't understand the DOT rules and say you can't use take the deduction at all. YMMV.

TeddyKGB

Not tipping, aka cheapness, is a character flaw. Kind of like road rage drivers. Something just isn't right inside of their head. The thing about cheap pilots who don't tip the van driver is that they know it. 90% of them appear self concious about it as they rapidly scan around to see who notices that they are stiffing the driver. Then they refuse to make eye contact with the driver as they go grab their bags in shame. Most of them don't even say thank you. I don't blame the guy for not writing a rec for such a tool. I just wouldn't buy the beer for them if we were out on a layover. I always thought it odd that they couldn't afford a tip yet they all had smartphones, bose headsets, fresh starbucks every leg, oakleys, and so on and so on. Penny smart and pound foolish. Keep trying to justify non tippers but 95% of society knows it's just beause you are cheap and classless. Welcome to the 5% club.

TeddyKGB

Stupid argument as pilots don't depend on tips. Waitresses, Hair Stylists, Hotel Valets, Bartenders, Pizza men do. Big difference so to say that we don't tip our CPA for doing our taxes or our pilots for flying us is a stupid argument that holdds no water. Just a lame diversion to try to justify cheap people who have no class.

wrxpilot

At the last company I flew at, we were reimbursed for tips were encouraged to tip generously. This was primarily so that we would have a good reputation for those times that we really needed people to pull through for us, which wasn't really hotel van drivers so much as FBOs and that sort of thing. But still, we'd at least give the van drivers a few bucks.

Now I'm at a regional on first year pay, and am not reimbursed. But I still tip, as I feel it's the right thing to do and buck or two/work day isn't exactly going to break the bank for me. All of the crews I've flown with so far are pretty good about tipping, and even the FAs open up their wallets to give the guy/girl a buck.

That said, I was on the receiving end of crappy tipping when I was in training here a few months ago. We had a deal with our hotel to drive us back and forth to FlightSafety during the day. For those of us that had late night slots (like myself), we received vouchers for cabs. Unfortunately, I think only my sim partner and I actually tipped the cabs on top of the voucher... So after awhile, the cabs basically didn't want to pick us up as the short trip from the hotel to FSI wasn't worth much on the voucher, on top of not getting tips. The reason I know this is that one of the cab drivers told us that the drivers HATE doing these trips, and they all do their best to get out of these calls since the pilots never tip them. So there were several times when my sim partner and I would get out at 2 am and have to wait 30 mins or more for a cab, all because our cheap ass fellow pilots wouldn't give the guys a couple of bucks. Not cool, and their cheapness ended up screwing us.

If you can't afford to tip a measly buck or two, you clearly aren't very good at managing your finances.

DENpilot

All because of not tipping one person. That is disgraceful. Shame.

I only tip if the driver provides a service above and beyond his normal job description. I refuse to tip drivers who force me to listen to their own choice of music, drive like a mad man, make us wait more than 5 minutes after 10PM or so in an outstation, or who make no effort to be at least somewhat pleasant.

wrxpilot

I agree there are times when I won't tip... They have to at least try and help with the bags, even though I will most likely just throw my bags in myself. Driving like a complete jackhole, and that sort of thing also brings the tip down. But being late at an outstation? That's a little extreme. Most of the outstation hotels are minimally staffed, and having to wait a few minutes for a ride isn't that unreasonable.

jayray2

I believe you have to minus your yearly per diem from that number though. So it will probably be about 5k and that does not come close enough to the 11k required for a family of two.