Eric Lipp’s Post

Interesting discussion, here are my lived experience thoughts. Tipping an airport assistant regardless of service is inappropriate, and here's why: The service provided is merely an accessibility accommodation for those travelers requiring accessibility and disability related accommodations to independently fly. Additionally, I've worked in tourism and hospitality, industries where tipping is the norm, and it's important to note that a tip is a gesture of generosity, not an income supplement.

As someone who has been in these 👟 working as a wheelchair pusher at DFW when I was in college...You hit the nail on the head. Always tip based on the level of service/attention you receive; it's more than just a monetary benefit, it's also affirmation of a job well done! To your point about retention - I still see many of my former colleagues smiling faces when I'm traveling.

I agree with your sentiment on tipping, especially as in the US its the culture to tip. Here in the Europe it's not so much and can cause other issues. Another culture based comment I'm going to make, pushers are generally seen to be drug dealer, yes language is important, our staff aren't pushers or dealers and as not all passengers require a wheelchair when getting assistance what do the "Pushers" then do when they have no-one to push? They assist other passengers. They are passenger assistance staff or agents. "Pushers" is derogatory, inaccurate and most staff find it insulting. Language is a learning curve we all have to travel.

Those people who do this job are not the pushers. They are Assisted Travel agents. By calling them the pushers, we diminish the respect and attitude towards employees who are spending the longest time together with a passenger at the airport experience for passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility. They are a significant part of the passenger experience and their journey. Tipping is not changing how good or bad agents we have and can we keep them, however, attitudes from airports and airlines towards Assisted Travel agents, can. Regarding tipping, let's allow each and every country to decide their own way. P.S. If we call Assisted Travel agents just pushers, what about when they assist passengers with sensory and non-visible disabilities? Just a thought.

I feel like this is a generational dynamic, and leads to poor expectations of tipping for a service that is designed to address shortcomings of existing airline and airport infrastructure, and is also generally subpar for most experiences. My wife and I have had incredibly awkward dynamics of being given different tiers of service due to mismatched tipping expectations, and this encouragement doesn't address traveling cashless.

Yes by all means, tip them. They don't get paid very much.

I just tipped the woman $5

Yes! They provide a service and it is a great incentive to do better.

I always tip 10-20$ however if they are rude or not good I don’t tip at all. It is very hard to not tip but Eric is 100% correct!