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Wheelchair "driver" tipping #198453
06/23/2019 06:26 PM
06/23/2019 06:26 PM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 687
Lake Texoma, Texas
C
cruzer Offline OP
Traveler
cruzer  Offline OP
Traveler
C
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 687
Lake Texoma, Texas
Because I have developed a bad case of sciatica, I've requested to have a wheelchair/assistance getting me off the plane to C&I, through the security re-entry line, and onward to my connecting gate in MIA tomorrow. I can only walk 100 feet at a time without having to relieve the stress on my back/legs, and have difficulty standing for any period of time.

I really don't know at this time whether I have one person to assist me all the way through, or different ones through each portion of me airport transit.

Anyway, I have no idea if tipping is expected/required (I suspect it is) and what is an appropriate amount would be. Any input?

Oh, and I do promise to do a trip report if that is any incentive to respond..

Thanks.

SXM Sponsors
Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198455
06/23/2019 07:04 PM
06/23/2019 07:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 685
Rhode Island
Bluesfan Offline
Traveler
Bluesfan  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 685
Rhode Island
I have been using wheelchair assistance for about 2 years now. all with AA and it has been very good except for Reagan in DC. I went through Miami 2 years ago and it was confusing, but effective. There may be several segments, some in electric carts. The attendants in Miami are Hispanic and their accents made it difficult to understand. After C & I you will be deposited in a holding area near baggage claim. They will retrieve your baggage and then transport you to your gate. I did not understand the process, but it worked out fine. I am also hard of hearing. I usually carry several $5 bills to use as tips. Depending on the segment length the choice is yours. This past year in PHL connection was tight. I told attendant I had $20 bill in my pocket and if I made it, it was his. He got the $20. In Charlotte and PHL one attendant takes you all the way through to your gate. Leaving SXM I found the service excellent.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198461
06/23/2019 07:40 PM
06/23/2019 07:40 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 721
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bran Offline
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bran  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 721
Cruzer let me try and allay all your fears. We find it excellent in Miami. As Blues states, a holding area first, they come and get you and literary take you all the way through to your gate. $5-$10.00 will be fine depending on the service you receive.
Now, I don’t know if you are renting a car at SXM but if you do when you return the car they will take you to the airport, so ask the person to get you wheelchair assistance and they again will take you not only to the gate but to the steps of the plane at Julianna. If not, then just ask for wheelchair assistance.
Not sure if Miami is your final destination on return but they were waiting with wheelchair and took my wife all the way through to our waiting car in the car park. I gave her $20.00 and so worth it...through customs and out in under 15 minutes and she stayed with us whilst waiting for the luggage! Regardless, find AA very good at this. Yes depends who you get to help but should be fine. Bon Voyage.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198462
06/23/2019 07:50 PM
06/23/2019 07:50 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,475
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,475
Central Florida!
cruzer--have not done wheelchair from AA, but did it from Delta on our just finished trip, through Atlanta. On both trips, it was the same person who got us all the way through. Back through Atlanta, it was quite a production because the train was closed down for the night. We tipped $10 there. Upon arrival in SXM, you had to walk down the stairs, and I walked to the building, at which point the attendant took me through the local line, and waited with us to claim the luggage. We also tipped $10 in SXM.


Carol Hill
Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198463
06/23/2019 07:53 PM
06/23/2019 07:53 PM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,461
Vermont
sxmmartini Offline
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sxmmartini  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,461
Vermont
Tipping is done when a service is pleasing to the one needing that service and not mandatory.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: sxmmartini] #198464
06/23/2019 07:54 PM
06/23/2019 07:54 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,475
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,475
Central Florida!
I don't know that anyone said it was mandatory, but I can say from personal experience that I was very thankful for the service.


Carol Hill
Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: sxmmartini] #198466
06/23/2019 07:57 PM
06/23/2019 07:57 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,566
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
Traveler
SXMScubaman  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,566
Auburn, WA
Tell that to some of the restaurants that add it on regardless of good or non existing service.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: SXMScubaman] #198468
06/23/2019 08:15 PM
06/23/2019 08:15 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 721
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bran Offline
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bran  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 721
Originally Posted by SXMScubaman
Tell that some of the restaurants that add it on regardless of good or non existing service.


Which reminds me Carol, you didn’t have the best of meals at L’auberge, but did You also notice that they lumped in the 4% tax nonsense on your bill. I questioned the owner about this. It’s not the money with me, far from it, but the ethics, as he said every restaurant on the French side should include it, well that’s not the case at all. Going off subject here a bit but after Tropicana it’s one of my favs and if there is a next time, just ask Pascal to take it back and redo.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: bran] #198471
06/23/2019 08:39 PM
06/23/2019 08:39 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,475
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,475
Central Florida!
Yes, I noted several restaurants added the tax. Frankly, I can forgive that better than I can forgive a TOUGH beef filet..


Carol Hill
Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198477
06/23/2019 09:42 PM
06/23/2019 09:42 PM
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 25
Palm Beach County, FL
Lainer105 Offline
Traveler
Lainer105  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 25
Palm Beach County, FL
Thank you, very timely post for me. First time hubby will need a wheelchair due to a progressive vision loss, we are departing from Miami on AA in 2 weeks. Already contacted AA and they have set up everything for our departure and return. After reading some of these posts, I feel abit more reassured about wheelchair assistance.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198478
06/23/2019 10:00 PM
06/23/2019 10:00 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 685
Rhode Island
Bluesfan Offline
Traveler
Bluesfan  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 685
Rhode Island
An addendum: According to my wheelchair attendant in CLT the airport discontinued use of the electric carts. This is a very large airport and most of the floor is carpeted. Difficult to push a wheelchair on. Strange.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: bran] #198480
06/23/2019 10:03 PM
06/23/2019 10:03 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 685
Rhode Island
Bluesfan Offline
Traveler
Bluesfan  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 685
Rhode Island
An addendum: According to my wheelchair attendant in CLT the airport discontinued use of the electric carts. This is a very large airport and most of the floor is carpeted. Difficult to push a wheelchair on. Strange.
Originally Posted by bran
Cruzer let me try and allay all your fears. We find it excellent in Miami. As Blues states, a holding area first, they come and get you and literary take you all the way through to your gate. $5-$10.00 will be fine depending on the service you receive.
Now, I don’t know if you are renting a car at SXM but if you do when you return the car they will take you to the airport, so ask the person to get you wheelchair assistance and they again will take you not only to the gate but to the steps of the plane at Julianna. If not, then just ask for wheelchair assistance.
Not sure if Miami is your final destination on return but they were waiting with wheelchair and took my wife all the way through to our waiting car in the car park. I gave her $20.00 and so worth it...through customs and out in under 15 minutes and she stayed with us whilst waiting for the luggage! Regardless, find AA very good at this. Yes depends who you get to help but should be fine. Bon Voyage.

When leaving SXM as soon as you enter the wheelchairs are grouped to the right. Just sit in one and you will be helped.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: Bluesfan] #198483
06/24/2019 01:33 AM
06/24/2019 01:33 AM
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,880
B
Bahston Offline
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Bahston  Offline
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B
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,880
Originally Posted by Bluesfan
An addendum: According to my wheelchair attendant in CLT the airport discontinued use of the electric carts. This is a very large airport and most of the floor is carpeted. Difficult to push a wheelchair on. Strange.



AA has discontinued use of electric carts in CLT. Rumor has it, that happened after a passenger was hit by a cart. I have had knee problems in the past, and a cart was a godsend. I no longer transit through CLT on AA.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: Bahston] #198487
06/24/2019 07:05 AM
06/24/2019 07:05 AM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 685
Rhode Island
Bluesfan Offline
Traveler
Bluesfan  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 685
Rhode Island
Originally Posted by Bahston
Originally Posted by Bluesfan
An addendum: According to my wheelchair attendant in CLT the airport discontinued use of the electric carts. This is a very large airport and most of the floor is carpeted. Difficult to push a wheelchair on. Strange.



AA has discontinued use of electric carts in CLT. Rumor has it, that happened after a passenger was hit by a cart. I have had knee problems in the past, and a cart was a godsend. I no longer transit through CLT on AA.

I specifically asked the attendant if it was AA or the airport that cancelled carts. He said it was the airport. The rumor sited by Bahston sounds likely.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198489
06/24/2019 07:38 AM
06/24/2019 07:38 AM
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 656
Maine
SXMbeacher Offline
Traveler
SXMbeacher  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 656
Maine
I have witnessed tipping when a women and her very elderly mother were assisted to the gate with a wheelchair at my home airport, PWM.



Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198492
06/24/2019 08:56 AM
06/24/2019 08:56 AM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,000
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
RI Bob C Offline
Traveler
RI Bob C  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,000
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
The wife has had to use wheelchair service for many years now. We either fly AA from Providence through Charlotte or Jet Blue direct from JFK. I certainly appreciate the help we get especially the return through customs and normally tip $5 in SXM and $10 in CLT or JFK. Do not normally tip in Providence as thee is no assistance with luggage and not a long push on the chair.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198496
06/24/2019 09:57 AM
06/24/2019 09:57 AM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 687
Lake Texoma, Texas
C
cruzer Offline OP
Traveler
cruzer  Offline OP
Traveler
C
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 687
Lake Texoma, Texas
Thanks for all the responses. Looks like I'm all set to go, except for the crying about having to leave. It seems AA has me covered on all legs of the trip, including pre-boarding. We'll see how well I hold up on the 12 hour transit, but, for the most part, I can remain seated without much pain or discomfort. Too bad they don't serve Ti Punch inflight.

Re: Wheelchair "driver" tipping [Re: cruzer] #198497
06/24/2019 09:59 AM
06/24/2019 09:59 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,475
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,475
Central Florida!
I'm sure it will be fine, except as you say, for the pain of leaving SXM.. Safe travels.


Carol Hill

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