Tipping in Spain & Italy

Hi Renee,

I've always found this article helpful for tipping practices:

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/eurotips.htm

I have read on many sites that you generally can tip anyone who provides you with good service...
HOWEVER, please do not tip Flight Crew. While with good intentions, this is considered an extreme insult! It is also forbidden for Flight Crew to accept tips. We do not rely on tips to survive. We are adequately compensated. Just be co-operative, pleasant and appreciative and that is thanks enough. Even looking us in the eye, making conversation with us helps brighten our day...and at times, helps to keep us awake and energized!

If you really want to offer us money, we will in turn suggest you make a donation to the charity of your choice. (Standard procedure). Or tell someone about our excellent service. Or simply fill out a comment form. We love positive feedback. That, to us, is worth more than a few bucks!

Safe Skies,

F/A

Just curious. Why is it considered an insult?

In Paris you pay more to eat outside, it was explained to me that cafes etc, pay to "rent " the sidewalk from the city, so hence they will charge a higher rate for you to sit out there. I imagine it is similar in other countries.

Now Nancy, you know Flightattendent takes her career very seriously, and you wouldn't tip a paramedic or a public speaker, or a safety officer on a ship, right?? A flight attendent is not just a " waitress in the sky" , hence tipping her may be construed as you not understanding that her function if far more then waitressing, she is in fact a safety officer, and a public speaker, and well,while she/he is not a paramedic they are the first aid attendents and primary caregivers for anyone having a medical emergency until either a doctor volunteers or they land.

I must say it has never occurred to me to tip one though, even though I have encountered some who deserved a bonus.

It never occurred to me to tip one, either. It just seemed odd to me that it would be considered an "extreme insult". I would think that anyone in any job would consider it a compliment, however misguided, if someone offerred. I'm a tax professional, and I have occasionally had a client offer a tip (which, of course, was refused) when they are happy with the service they have received.

Oh Nancy, " a tax professional " who gets offered "tips", that is a bit funny, here we call them " pay offs" LOL , Just kidding, my sence of humor is a bit sharp, LOL

Yes, I thought it was funny, too -- but I wasn't insulted by the offer. I just considered it a compliment.

I think Pat summed it up very well! I might add Translator, FireFighter, Educator etc. We are the First Responders to any and all emergencies at 30,000ft...be it inflight safety, security, fire, medical etc. I'm also currently an EMT. Having this skill enhances my position (as IC F/A) immensely. In my Grandmother's day, Stewardesses were in fact, Nurses. Perhaps that is why to this day we are largely seen as "Caregivers".

In CDA, In-Charge F/A's are trained to the highest level of Emergency (Aviation specific) First Aid. They are "Advanced Medical First Responders" and train with other "First Responders" like the Police and Firefighters. MFRs are trained to take vitals, Admin O2, Insert oral/nasal airways, backboard/collar etc and stabilize patients until Medical help can be obtained by Responders/Paramedics on the ground. MFRs are trained/certified to handle emergency childbirth, cardiacs/defib, and a variety of other medical emergencies/traumas. In a sentence, MFR's can do the basics of what EMT's do EXCEPT administer drugs. MFR's can ASSIST the patient to take meds, Nitro etc, but NOT administer.

At present, Pursers and F/A's are trained in Aviation First Aid with CPR. I hope someday all of my team will be MFRs but that is costly. Necessary, IMO, but costly...

F/A's can legally fly up to 90 hours/month maximum due to the Emergency nature of our job. That's why we almost always have second Careers. Not that we are paid poorly b/c we are paid well but at up to 90 hours a month...there is plenty of time to do other things! So that's why it's common to have F/A's on board who are also Nurses, Dental Hygenists, College Professors, Travel Consultants etc. That surprises most people.
It probably surprises some of us here, too!

I'd like to respond to a comment made regarding an earlier post about tipping. Offence was taken to the statement I made about "Flight Crew not relying on tips to survive". This was somehow taken as a "holier than thou attitude and an insult to anyone who does rely on tips to survive".
That was clearly NOT my intent! I worked in Hospitality/Catering for years during both Highschool and College.
I remember relying on tips to survive. Those tips helped pay for my College education. I remember driving a ten year old, used car hoping to heaven I could budget for snow tires before the first heavy snow storm! It was not an easy road to hoe! I will NEVER look down on ANYONE in hospitality! I know first hand how important tips/gratuities are...And how hard they work for them. In fact, some of my best wing mates still freelance as Bartenders and do very well!

My point was simply that you don't need to tip Flight Crew!

Thanks for listening to my rant!

F/A