‘What do I pay all this money for?’: Woman says she was asked to tip for checking in a bag at airport
A user on TikTok has sparked debate after claiming that she was asked for a tip from the person checking in her bag at the airport.
In a video with over 101,000 views, TikTok user Addysen (@addydrake98) says she was checking in her bag when the attendant first informed her that she could pay by card, but only leave a tip in cash.
Initially confused, she was then prompted for a tip again when it came time to pay. She remained confused and now recalls the experience as unpleasant, citing the person checking her in as “rude.”
While Addysen notes that she is in the service industry and understands the need for tips, she says that she wasn’t sure why she was asked to tip in the first place given how much she paid for her flight and her checked bag.
“What am I tipping that man for? What do I pay all this money for?” she asks at the conclusion of the video.
@addydrake98 ♬ original sound - Addysen Drake
Unbeknownst to Addysen, this is actually a fairly common practice for curbside baggage handlers. An article from USA Today advises that customers should pay “between $1.00 and $2.00 per bag” as a thank you to baggage handlers working at the curbside.
A commenter who claimed to work in the industry summed the situation up thusly: “If this was an agent at the TKT counter, big no no. Curbside are contracted (diff IDbadge) are allowed but shouldn't be asking.”
In an Instagram direct message exchange with the Daily Dot, Addysen clarifies that she did not know this information before making the video.
"I was unaware that it was a tipped position, which is why I made the video in the first place," she wrote. "After doing my own research, I realized it wasn’t an airport position."
She also shared her distaste for tipping culture.
"...I do think tipping positions like that are a way for companies to not pay their employees fairly, so I don’t agree with that. While I will tip skycaps in the future, I think companies should up their pay so that it’s not on the job of the consumer," she explained.
Addysen’s video struck a nerve with audiences on TikTok who appear sick of being prompted for tips with seemingly every purchase.
“Nah cuz I’m done. Unless it’s a sit down restaurant where someone actually served me throughout my meal, or I’m getting food delivered, I am not tipping for anything else anymore,” wrote one user. “Gotta put our foot down.”
“Literally EVERYONE wants a tip now,” said another. “it's crazy!”
Other users shared stories of unlikely places they were asked for a tip.
“A couple months ago I was asked if I wanted to tip the staff when I made an ONLINE ORDER for some nose rings,” recounted a user. “I’m SORRY??? Tipping on a website? Bye.”
“I bought a gift card at a drive thru and they asked me for a tip,” claimed a second. “Yeah, no.”
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