Tipping problem in LAX TBIT Lounge [is back]

[AustraliaPoochie]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

I am a newby to this...
The attendant putting that $2 coin away, it can/could be construed as many things, many different possible reasons to it.
But it wasn't as if the attendant was practically standing there, waiting/or asking, as in the movies.
Maybe the previous person had dropped the coin as a thank you tip.
Granted in the past, in the US QF F/J lounges, indeed tipping was a "must" but in this situation, too hard to say for sure.
If there was a sign or something, then that would surely be a case of tip is expected or needed to be forfcoming.
As many of you know I am a cleaner/or cleaning contractor, in shops and other places, and times I find 5 cent coins, (!!!).
Sometimes I make an effort to put the $0.50/$1/$2 coins I find onto the counter where the shop staff can see it, but sometimes, there is just no where to put that niggly 5 cent coin, so, umm, yes, it goes into my pocket as a "donation" to the work I do.

 

[N860CR]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

I am a newby to this...
The attendant putting that $2 coin away, it can/could be construed as many things, many different possible reasons to it.
But it wasn't as if the attendant was practically standing there, waiting/or asking, as in the movies.
Maybe the previous person had dropped the coin as a thank you tip.
Granted in the past, in the US QF F/J lounges, indeed tipping was a "must" but in this situation, too hard to say for sure.
If there was a sign or something, then that would surely be a case of tip is expected or needed to be forfcoming.
As many of you know I am a cleaner/or cleaning contractor, in shops and other places, and times I find 5 cent coins, (!!!).
Sometimes I make an effort to put the $0.50/$1/$2 coins I find onto the counter where the shop staff can see it, but sometimes, there is just no where to put that niggly 5 cent coin, so, umm, yes, it goes into my pocket as a "donation" to the work I do.

It would be 2 $1 notes in the US, strategically placed. Not so much an issue of someone dropping a coin.

 

[Mattg]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

I recall seeing signs at a lounge in China saying something along the lines of "Sorry, but our staff are unable to accept your tip." Surely something like that would solve this.

I would never tip in a Qantas lounge, especially as Qantas have clearly said in the past that it isn't needed or even really allowed. But I did tip the shower attendant at an American Airlines lounge a while back. I wasn't prompted to do so, but thought it would be expected/appreciated. In reality I have no idea if that is the case.

 

[DC3]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

... The attendant putting that $2 coin away, it can/could be construed as many things ...

I have never managed to see a $2 coin in the USA. Do they still exist (other than commemorative coins)?

 

[Cynicor]

AP- they aren't saying the attendant took the $2, they are saying they moved it into a shower so that the next patron would notice a tip was left previously, and am hopefully think it was customary to tip for this "service".

 

[DC3]

I tip in the USA anyway. So I would leave something there (that's just me, and I respect the opinion of those who disagree). And I have been in the LAX (1st) Lounge (May 2015) and didn't really regard it as a little bit of Australia. The staff would be paid as US hospitality workers. The lounge staff were great, by the way, and pro-actively suggested drinks that might interest me. Didn't make use of the showers and haven't made it to the Business Lounge as yet.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Ah, interesting concept, then, in that case!
Probably tips the scale towards the nono (as in that discouraged action) then.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

Was in the FL this morning.

I had no problem with entry using a LAX-PHX BP and my WP card.

Did have a shower and while I was escorted to the room but saw no $$.

Used the F Lounge late October ex QF15 prior to an AA flight to MIA and didn't see any 'tips' left behind in the showers.

Could be just a J Lounge thing.

 

[serfty]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

I have never managed to see a $2 coin in the USA. Do they still exist (other than commemorative coins)?

I can find no reference to US$2 coins (commemorative or otherwise) however US$2 notes do exist but seem are not especially common.

 

[serfty]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

....
Could be just a J Lounge thing.

Possibly, although it may simply be one of no one here has come across it.

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

Used the F Lounge late October ex QF15 prior to an AA flight to MIA and didn't see any 'tips' left behind in the showers.

Could be just a J Lounge thing.

Happened to me mid 2015 in F, along with opusman and katie.

Red Roo pounced on it pretty fast

 

[Red Roo]

Apparently the tipping problem in LAX TBIT is back
Something dfcatch may want to bring up with management.
My brother was in their this morning. As he went for a shower the attendant picked up $2 that was left behind in the room. He then watched the attendant leave and take it to another room and put it in there ready to be picked up when the next person came in.
My brother even noted it was a scam saying "it would be the first thing they pick up when they clean the room, not left till the next person came in"

Sad as this was addressed i thought but its obviously coming back.

When I was at the LAX QF biz lounge recently the staff were clearly putting "tips" in the bathroom expecting a tip to be left for them. I understand that the staff are probably not paid a lot - but if this lounge is a little bit of Australia in LA - with a lot of Australian passengers passing through my preference would be that the staff are appropriately paid (so that tips are not expected but given because it's good service. I can't say that the service that I have received in this lounge has been exceptional.

Thanks once again for bringing this to my attention.

To clarify, our position on the matter has not changed:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ntas-oneworld-lounge-56927-8.html#post1067092

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....qantas-oneworld-lounge-56927.html#post1254597

I've passed on these instances to senior management to formally follow up internally. Any other examples, with dates, would be appreciated.

 

[emeline]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

I feel a bit bad that the thought of tipping has not once crossed my mind in either lounge at LAX. I kind of feel like I'm back in Australian territory once I'm in there. Mind you, I've never had service that was worthy of a tip in either lounge.

 

[chooms]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

Was in LAX TBIT QF FLounge on 12DEC and again on 01JAN. Used showers both visits and no tip sought either time.

 

[timster]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

However whether or not the staff are paid more to compensate for the lack of tips (would be that way anyway with a majority of Aussie customers) is unknown. Anecdotal evidence of a high staff turnover suggests that maybe the pay with few tips isn't enough.

Yes, it would be good to have a sense of just how much (or how little) these staff are paid before passing judgement.

The basis on which QF have deemed that tipping is not necessary - on US soil - seems to me to require justification.

 

[whatmeworry]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

Most US workers on minimum wage only earn $10-11 US an hour. Most of these workers depend on food stamps and thus the US government is subsiding these large corporations who make obscene profits who don't pay workers a living wage.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

Most US workers on minimum wage only earn $10-11 US an hour. Most of these workers depend on food stamps and thus the US government is subsiding these large corporations who make obscene profits who don't pay workers a living wage.

And this is the reason employees don't want that $10/hour job to be $15/hour.
And the same reason that consumers with $$ don't want to increase the wages because companies will simply replace people with robots, or find new ways to increase productivity.

IMO if you need tips to survive - you're not living within your means and/or clearly need a new job.

 

[whatmeworry]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

And this is the reason employees don't want that $10/hour job to be $15/hour.
And the same reason that consumers with $$ don't want to increase the wages because companies will simply replace people with robots, or find new ways to increase productivity.

IMO if you need tips to survive - you're not living within your means and/or clearly need a new job.

Yeah Joe Hockey said get a good paying job.

 

[DC3]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

I found a link to minimum wages in the USA, shown in a table, state by state. In almost half of those states the minimum wage is under $7.50/hour:

http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wage-chart

I wonder how many here could survive on that sort of money. Multiple jobs/massive work hours required, "stamps" or no stamps.



Edit: Not really food stamps, as that has been replaced by an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, but for the same purpose

 

[N860CR]

I guess the best example is to ask what ~$7.50US p/h in the US equates to in AUD. I think our min wage is about $16.50 P/H. Based on the increased cost of living in AU, is that better or worse than the US equivalent when one considers the tip component