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Another wheelchair question #310926
12/28/2023 12:41 PM
12/28/2023 12:41 PM
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 114
B
Bigdaddy Offline OP
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Bigdaddy  Offline OP
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B
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 114
When you use a wheelchair, I would assume it's customary to tip the attendant. Just curious as to the appropriate amount?

SXM Sponsors
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #310928
12/28/2023 01:03 PM
12/28/2023 01:03 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,737
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
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Carol_Hill  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,737
Central Florida!
Tipping is a very individual thing. For me, it depends on how long the person is with me and what they do. I do not recall ever tipping less than $5, and usually it is $10. The exception was one time in Miami that was totally f*ed up, when I had to deal with three SEPARATE wheelchair folks. I think they each got $5. Usually the folks in SXM go with us to the baggage claim and retrieve bags and also help us out to our waiting car rental guy. Tipping in SXM on arrival is between $10=$20, depending on how long they are with us. When we leave SXM it's usually $10. If the person needs someone to physically lift a chair down the stairs, that would be more. We have always found the folks in SXM to be well worth the tip. In other places, not so much sometimes.


Carol Hill
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #310932
12/28/2023 01:48 PM
12/28/2023 01:48 PM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,970
Connecticut
The_Lurker Offline
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The_Lurker  Offline
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Posts: 2,970
Connecticut
I agree with Carol. We started out tipping too much, $20 to gate at JFK, then $5 to plane door.
We tipped $20 to luggage in SXM.
I think $10 is a reasonable amount if it is just that and they don't stay with you and do extra errands.

Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #310933
12/28/2023 02:07 PM
12/28/2023 02:07 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,646
Brookfield, CT.
pat Offline
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pat  Offline
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Posts: 14,646
Brookfield, CT.
It’s a personal gesture based upon the attitude of the attendant and the attention and service he provides. We are generally more generous both arriving and departing in SXM because I find their service to be exceptional. The exact dollar amount usually depends on whether we remembered to get adequate cash or not but never less than $25.00. I don’t know if that’s enough or not since I’ve never seen or heard of a tipping guide but they’ve always graciously accepted our offering and have enthusiastically thanked us for it. 🙂🙂


Respectfully,

pat



"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
them."
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #310936
12/28/2023 02:20 PM
12/28/2023 02:20 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,362
Cincinnati area
Cincinnati_Kid Offline
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Cincinnati_Kid  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,362
Cincinnati area
Their assistance has been a huge help for me. I appreciate it so much and I tip $20. I had a young man assist me in Philadelphia. He was new, apparently, and obviously did not want to be there. However, when I tipped him $20 his attitude changed, he smiled, and said that this would help a lot....Made me feel good !


Paradise is an island in the Caribbean!
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: pat] #310940
12/28/2023 04:40 PM
12/28/2023 04:40 PM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,970
Connecticut
The_Lurker Offline
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The_Lurker  Offline
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Posts: 2,970
Connecticut
Originally Posted by pat
It’s a personal gesture based upon the attitude of the attendant and the attention and service he provides. We are generally more generous both arriving and departing in SXM because I find their service to be exceptional. The exact dollar amount usually depends on whether we remembered to get adequate cash or not but never less than $25.00. I don’t know if that’s enough or not since I’ve never seen or heard of a tipping guide but they’ve always graciously accepted our offering and have enthusiastically thanked us for it. 🙂🙂



Pat, you had mentioned that they stayed with you and brought you to rest areas and food places.
That is a call beyond the normal, and a generous tip I'm sure is appreciated. We only had the one chair

We gave the gentleman who waited for us while they almost body searched me and our case even more than usual---the poor man!! LOL
TSA should have paid me!!

Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #310964
12/29/2023 05:57 PM
12/29/2023 05:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,267
Boynton Beach, FL
EdB Offline
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EdB  Offline
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Posts: 3,267
Boynton Beach, FL
i usually tip 10.

Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: The_Lurker] #310974
12/30/2023 02:33 AM
12/30/2023 02:33 AM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,646
Brookfield, CT.
pat Offline
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pat  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,646
Brookfield, CT.
[/quote]
Pat, you had mentioned that they stayed with you and brought you to rest areas and food places.
That is a call beyond the normal, and a generous tip I'm sure is appreciated. We only had the one chair
[/quote]

To clarify, upon arrival the wc porter met us on the plane and took us off and wheeled us across the tarmac to the arrival area where he saw us through to the baggage claim area and retrieved our bags before wheeling us out to the curb where Lesley Bruce was waiting for us.

Upon departure, Lesley got us a wc porter at the curb to see us through the check-in line and baggage check process and through each of the other security stages and then to the upstairs jetway area. He offered us stops at the food line and the restrooms on the way. Because we had such a long wait he left us parked there but returned a couple of times to make sure we were okay.

I honestly can’t sing their praises loud enough. Courteous and smiles all the way. And certainly worth a generous tip for their services.

Last edited by pat; 12/30/2023 02:35 AM.

Respectfully,

pat



"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
them."
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: pat] #311001
12/30/2023 05:05 PM
12/30/2023 05:05 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 251
Toronto, Ontario
Kevin_B Offline
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Kevin_B  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 251
Toronto, Ontario
Pat’s description of the wheelchair experience and dealings with Lesley were exactly the same as ours in late Nov, early Dec. Word for word, almost identical. Kudos to the WC folks and to Lesley and Shirley.


Kevin
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #315094
03/08/2024 10:05 AM
03/08/2024 10:05 AM
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 4
Southern Maine
PatfromMaine Offline
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PatfromMaine  Offline
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Posts: 4
Southern Maine
Can someone give me an idea of a ‘good tip’ for arrivals? $10, $20, ?

Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: PatfromMaine] #315095
03/08/2024 10:07 AM
03/08/2024 10:07 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,737
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
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Carol_Hill  Offline
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Posts: 82,737
Central Florida!
We normally have tipped between 10 and 20, depending on how long the guy is with us. Now, with the cluster in arrivals, I don't know if they are sticking around for the whole time when people are waiting for bags or not.


Carol Hill
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: PatfromMaine] #315102
03/08/2024 10:27 AM
03/08/2024 10:27 AM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 90
Port Huron, Michigan
K
KitKat Offline
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KitKat  Offline
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K
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 90
Port Huron, Michigan
I would say it would depend on what exactly they needed to do for you, such as stop for the bathroom, stop for food, wait for your luggage and then take it to your transportation, etc. Mine took me from the plane through immigration and then left me in the luggage area, in the wheelchair, as we had a long, long wait ahead of us, and I was mobile. We never saw him again. I think my husband gave him $5. If he had needed to do any of the above, it would have definitely been a larger amount.

Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #315104
03/08/2024 11:05 AM
03/08/2024 11:05 AM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 391
East Haven, CT
Wingman Offline
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Wingman  Offline
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Posts: 391
East Haven, CT
I just arrived yesterday, 5 weeks from a hip replacement surgery. The wheelchair service was excellent yesterday. He scooted us right to the beginning of the line for immigration then parked me at the luggage claim. He pretty much stayed with me the whole time. While it was good that I went to the beginning of the line for immigration, we had to wait as Spirit had beat the American flight so we had to wait for the luggage from Spirit before the Miami flight's luggage came out. All in All, he was great and I gave him $20.

Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Wingman] #315105
03/08/2024 11:16 AM
03/08/2024 11:16 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,737
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
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Carol_Hill  Offline
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Posts: 82,737
Central Florida!
Wingman--glad you arrived ok. Looking forward to hearing some reports from "home" at BSV!! smile


Carol Hill
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #315109
03/08/2024 11:45 AM
03/08/2024 11:45 AM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,737
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
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SXMScubaman  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,737
Auburn, WA
Not sure of Wheelchair tipping but we always tip the porter $20.00 for carting our checked luggage over to the Hertz rntal van.

Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #315112
03/08/2024 12:09 PM
03/08/2024 12:09 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 882
Arizona
M
marybeth Online content
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marybeth  Online Content
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 882
Arizona
I tipped $20 cuz he was excellent. Didn’t stay with me the whole time but that was fine with me. He did keep checking back and updating me with where Delta was in the luggage queue and he brought my bag out to the car. Money well spent in my view


MB
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Bigdaddy] #315116
03/08/2024 01:07 PM
03/08/2024 01:07 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 56
Bucks County, PA
M
Marie Offline
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Marie  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 56
Bucks County, PA
Originally Posted by Bigdaddy
When you use a wheelchair, I would assume it's customary to tip the attendant. Just curious as to the appropriate amount?

I always tip $20 when in SXM and Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, they have quite a long distance and have to go through TSA on the departure. Coming home in Philadelphia, although we have global entry, they wait with us while we get our checked bag and we travel on Saturdays, so those young men could be out Saturday night, but they’re working so it’s definitely worth $20. And then in SXM they get us through C & I one way and wait while we get our checked bag, and TSA going home. I’ve never had one of those assistants who been unpleasant.

Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Marie] #315118
03/08/2024 01:44 PM
03/08/2024 01:44 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,737
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
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Carol_Hill  Offline
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Posts: 82,737
Central Florida!
In SXM, I have never had anything but extremely pleasant experiences. In Miami?? That's another deal, although last trip they were very on the ball, for a nice change.


Carol Hill
Re: Another wheelchair question [Re: Carol_Hill] #315120
03/08/2024 02:06 PM
03/08/2024 02:06 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,737
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
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SXMScubaman  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,737
Auburn, WA
The time I needed a wheelchair with a broken leg in MIA manyyears ago it was a pleasant experience. Not sure how it is now.


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