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Home  >  Frontier  >  Frontier Airlines Wants You To Tip Flight Attendants
Frontier

Frontier Airlines Wants You To Tip Flight Attendants

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 5, 2019January 5, 2019 16 Comments

Frontier Airlines is encouraging passengers to tip flight attendants for onboard purchases.

JT Genter, of The Points Guy, shared of a recent flight experience and provided photographic evidence. He ordered a ginger ale and after swiping his card, a FA handed the credit card portal (a tablet) back to him. It prompted him to either leave a 15%, 20%, 25% or no tip at all. There was also a small box to leave a custom gratuity.

Last year, tips would be pooled Starbucks-style and split evenly among crew members on a flight. That changed earlier this week. Now, Frontier FAs earn tips based upon individual sales. Frontier does not keep any portion of the tips.

An Essential Part of Income, Not A Supplement

Genter reached out to Frontier and asked if tips are supplemental income or “considered a consequential part of their earnings.” Frontier’s response is not surprising:

Both. Many flight attendants see the inflight tip program as a way to supplement their income.

And that is the primary reason why I am against this move. I don’t know how much FAs make on Frontier. But shifting further compensatory obligations to passengers amounts to consumer-funded corporate welfare. I know that is not a precise use of the term, but if the promise of tips is used as an excuse to offer flight attendants lower pay, consumers face a moral quandary every time they order a drink or snack. The FA union opposes tipping.

I am against tipping in general, but know it is a deeply-ingrained part of American life. I’ve started tipping on Uber even though I find the concept anathema to the brilliant original concept of Uber.  Will I start tipping flight attendants? Sadly, I cannot say yes or no at this point. But I do dread the day that service levels will depended upon the generosity of your gratuity…

CONCLUSION

I can’t blame Frontier for trying to squeeze more money out of customers so it can pay its FAs less. At the same time, making living wages dependent upon passenger tips makes FAs desperate and customers guilty. It’s not a nice combination at all…

image: Tomás Del Coro / Wikimeida Commons

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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16 Comments

  1. Gene Reply
    January 5, 2019 at 9:53 am

    @ Matthew — Unbelievable. I am SO SICK of all the requests to tip. I will NEVER tip for an in-flight snack, Starbucks, or uber. Why should I pay twice? Perhaps I should ask my clients to tip for legal services?

    • Tim inscore Reply
      January 5, 2019 at 10:20 pm

      U got to be kidding me. Companies that charge for air. They want us to supplement their responsibilities. Screw the airlines.

  2. Rob Reply
    January 5, 2019 at 11:03 am

    “I can’t blame Frontier for trying to squeeze more money out of customers so it can pay its FAs less.”

    Yes, you can blame Frontier for doing just that.

    • Matthew Reply
      January 5, 2019 at 11:08 am

      “for trying”

      But now they should be called out on it, as I am doing here. It was a bad idea.

      • Christian Reply
        January 5, 2019 at 11:19 am

        I’m with Rob. I blame Frontier completely for trying.

  3. ROGER Reply
    January 5, 2019 at 11:18 am

    GENE– I agree 1000%

    if the pay is not enough then find a job that you do not need to have your hand out to earn a living

  4. John Reply
    January 5, 2019 at 11:31 am

    The American tipping culture is just wrong in so many ways and should be discouraged. Employees should receive proper compensation for the type of work they are hired for, and no part of that compensation should be left to chance, or the whims or “guilt”-tolerance of any customer…especially one trapped in an airplane for hours. I think the European model is more logical and reduces the awkwardness all around.

  5. James Reply
    January 5, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    Wait… I thought tip was only for those who goes above and beyond on doing their job? What stupid culture would encourage or even make tipping as an obligation for something that is very basic on a job? As if you want to legitimize lazyness, thus obesity and diabetes that comes along with it.

  6. Paolo Reply
    January 6, 2019 at 8:00 am

    Lunacy. And creepy.

  7. Brian Reply
    January 6, 2019 at 8:57 am

    “I am against tipping in general.” Please don’t ever order a drink from a bartender or get served at any full service restaurant. To insure prompt service. I hope your tipping practices only go for flight attendants. I don’t tip my Barista at Starbucks either but I have tipped Uber driver’s that offered me gum ,suggestions or bottled water.

    • Matthew Reply
      January 6, 2019 at 9:02 am

      I generously tip. Very generously. That doesn’t mean I have to like it. As I said, I recognize that it is an indispensable part of American culture.

      • Dan T. Nelson Reply
        January 6, 2019 at 9:53 am

        Tipping is a stupid system, but it is the system in the United States, and, like Matthew, I do it even though I don’t like it. We travel a lot to Hong Kong, and it is a place without tipping. Instead most restaurants charge 15 percent extra, which makes sense. Other workers there just don’t typically expect tips. The only reason I do it in the United States is because the poor workers are not paid a proper wage unless I do it. Shame on their employers.

    • Serge Reply
      January 6, 2019 at 7:13 pm

      Tipping should only be for excellent service, not for somebody just doing their job. Most service I get doesn’t deserve tipping, to be completely honest, but I do tip because it’s a social norm, and yes, I would rather have prices go up to reflect higher wages than constantly think if I should tip or not. Tipping for an inflight snack is beyond ridiculous. It’s already overpriced and is a commodity

  8. Shamma H Reply
    January 6, 2019 at 6:21 pm

    Oh please, like we don’t pay enough for airfare and all the other extra travel fees.

  9. Dana Reply
    January 8, 2019 at 12:34 am

    Tips are merely a suggestion , not a demand! It’s ultimately up to you. You can order with out tipping, it’s your your call. It’s an act of generosity.

  10. Pingback: Should You Tip Flight Attendants? How This Airline Is Rolling It Out - Points Miles & Martinis

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