Tipping at the Sydney First Class International Lounge

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MAMinOz

Junior Member
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Mar 7, 2011
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Hi There,

I recently received a massage at the Spa in the First Class International Lounge in Sydney. I was curious if others leave a tip. I received a very nice 25 minute massage and the therapist provided some great advice during out chat. Upon leaving, I gave him a tip. When I sat in the Rockpool restaurant, I then wondered if I should leave a tip there, and if so, how much?

Any advice would be much appreciated for next time.

Cheers!
 
I have never tipped anyone in the F Lounge.
I don't think it would be common occurrence for Lounge staff ( wait staff or spa) to receive tips.
 
I have never tipped anyone in the F Lounge.
I don't think it would be common occurrence for Lounge staff ( wait staff or spa) to receive tips.
Maybe not from Australians (or Europeans).

I have come across an anecdote of tipping in those lounges from residents of North America - some simply don't feel comfortable NOT tipping.
 
Maybe not from Australians (or Europeans).

I have come across an anecdote of tipping in those lounges from residents of North America - some simply don't feel comfortable NOT tipping.

I think this is a case of " When in Rome"
I'm perfectly comfortable with tipping in the US. It is not something I would like to see introduced here very widely.
BTW I do tip in Restaurants for good service/ food. Round up taxi fares etc. Personally I definitely draw the line at complimentary treatments/ F&B in an airport lounge here in Australia.
If others want to tip that's fine.
 
I believe tipping is a personal matter. If you want to tip, good. If not, except in the US, it's ok.
 
Maybe not from Australians (or Europeans).

I have come across an anecdote of tipping in those lounges from residents of North America - some simply don't feel comfortable NOT tipping.
I post on a cruise forum and tipping is a real hot button. I agree, people from the USA simply must tip. They regard it as offensive not to do so. And people from the UK simply won't tip. I was recently on the Queen Mary 2 and they have an auto tip feature, even whilst cruising in Australia. There was quite a line up of people from the UK or with British accents queuing up to get it removed from their account. I left it on, I figured it was little enough and the staff pay is not exactly high. All the guy in front of me wanted to know was whether his room steward would know he had retracted it. :(
 
Even in the US, unless I was advised a tip is expected I would expect something complementary to involve no money to leave my wallet, and this includes at airport lounges. My thoughts are that if I'm forced to leave a tip, it's no longer complementary, it's just heavily discounted.

(To date, I've only been at one event in the US where "free drinks" still equalled tips to be given to bar staff. I didn't overly care as it was basically a night of $1 drinks for me + an AU$2 coin as one of the bar staff was a coin collector...)
 
I once noticed an American leave a $20 tip in the Syd F lounge...:shock::shock:. I was quite and still am in shock! I have NEVER considered leaving a tip in the QF F lounge in any of my 10+ visits in the last couple of years! Many "thank you"s and notes of appreciation tho...
 
If they are leaving the country they might as well get rid of the Australian money
Placing it in a charity box at the airport might be another (?better) option:idea:
 
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If they are leaving the country they might as well get rid of the Australian money

Yes and no, any amounts left over could be easily exchanged back into their own currency or the next currency they will need. Whilst yes, that leaves trivial amounts (aka coins) left over for tips, I'm with kpc, I'd probably put into the change for good bag rather than leaving a tip of 10 $1 coins...
 
I work in the mining idustry. At the end of the day it is very basic stuff - working to produce commodoty/resource ¨X¨. My work has been at times dirty, hard, ¨underpaid¨, dangerous, etc etc. But for some strange reason noone has ever offered me a tip. Why is the service industry so special?
 
I work in the mining idustry. At the end of the day it is very basic stuff - working to produce commodoty/resource ¨X¨. My work has been at times dirty, hard, ¨underpaid¨, dangerous, etc etc. But for some strange reason noone has ever offered me a tip. Why is the service industry so special?

Having immediately reviewed my post, I realize the amount of typos. Perhaps that is why those tips do not come my way :(
 
A savvy traveller tries to follow local custom, rather than inflexibly imposing all their own customs in a different land.


:arrow: It is NOT customary to tip in Australia.

:idea: Saying a genuine thank you, or even written praise forwarded to their boss, is a better path to take.


(From a pure economic perspective - the remuneration system for those employed in the service industry in Australia, is different to that of those in the USA.)
 
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I work in the mining idustry. At the end of the day it is very basic stuff - working to produce commodoty/resource ¨X¨. My work has been at times dirty, hard, ¨underpaid¨, dangerous, etc etc. But for some strange reason noone has ever offered me a tip. Why is the service industry so special?

This is why I do tip for great service. You get paid to do your job and and you don't have an opportunity to over achieve.

Also salary levels of wait staff are set at a level that factors in some form of tipping - especially in the US.
 
....This is why I do tip for great service. You get paid to do your job and and you don't have an opportunity to over achieve......

I so disagree. In almost any workplace there is scope for either producing a mediocre result, or busting your guts and delivering something great. i acknowledge that in some professions the base wage is set with the expectation of a tipping supplement, but in most jobs there also lies that ability to do better. Perhaps rather than say I ¨dont have an opportunity to over achieve¨ you mean that in many areas that dedication is recognized by the employer?
 
I work in the mining idustry. At the end of the day it is very basic stuff - working to produce commodoty/resource ¨X¨. My work has been at times dirty, hard, ¨underpaid¨, dangerous, etc etc. But for some strange reason noone has ever offered me a tip. Why is the service industry so special?

An underpaid miner .......... Surely you jest.


Greg.

Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app
 
Tipping and not tipping. Interesting debate and totally up to the individual and should not be forced or expected unless it is stipulated on a bill/receipt including the USA. It is not up to me to subsidise the wages of wait staff or anyone else for that matter.

I can sleep at nights and not worry about "NOT" tipping.
 
I don't tip, but as has been mentioned in this thread perhaps that's because I'm English? I do round up when in taxis and am quite generous anyway. I might even round up in a restaurant if paying by cash, but I prefer plastic. I give gifts to people and try to rely on karma as much as I can, thus don't feel I should be pressured into such things.

In the F lounge I usually pick up a comment card and fill it in, giving praise where due. I expect that works well for the staff.

I think I'd get a lot of bad service if I visited the US, but I don't intend to any time soon and it's not my fault they've structured their workforce in such a way that you need to rely on tips to get by. Of course, I'd tip for drinks in the AC if I ever got there, per advice from this forum, but only in $1 bills per drink.


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