How much should I tip an honest Avianca employee who found my U.S. passports?

ACBlessing says on Feb 22, 2005, 10:07:

Wow You have no idea how lucky you are! Considering what a U.S. passport sells for in Colombia alone, not to mention all the troubles....of course an Avianca employee is not able to accept a direct award but your best bet is to give him a Thank-you card with $200-$500 inside. But that's just me...trying to even up the Karma.

Alex Blessing, Spokane, WA USA
alex at acblessing.com
www.acblessing.com

Just plain poor

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Mr. Hollywood says on Feb 22, 2005, 10:55:

Go big! Hey, the guy saved you an endless pain in the ass and could have probably sold your passports for thousands. Be generous!

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adrimm says on Feb 22, 2005, 11:11:

Agree w GIB Send them a thank-you card containing your "gift", but register it becuase otherwise it may never arrive. Write a letter to the president as well the employee's local director/manager. Make sure you can give the employee's full name and position so these people can locate the person to reward/thank them (airlines are huge). Hopefully management will take note and also be generous (raise, promotion, etc.)

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Feb 22, 2005, 11:50:

I 'll have to agree with GIB on this one...it's kind a sad that you'll have to reward people for doing their jobs. I know if that had happened here the cleaning staff would have found the passport, turned it in at the airline desk at the airport, and you would have gotten a phone call from the airline probably already the same day that your passport has been found and can be claimed at the customer service desk, information or whatever service desk they have in the main airport facilities. It's very common that people leave stuff, even valuables, in the plane, and all airport employees are trained to handle this type of things. It shouldn't be anything extraordinary to be able to retrieve your possessions that you forgot, or something you'd need to tip for.
I realize that it's a different world and different routines in Miami, but yet I believe all IATA carriers at least have the same policy regarding lost and found stuff.
I'd probably just send a thank-you note and a a nominal gift (20-30 dollars, plus that I'd inform the employee that I have brought his/her diligence into the attention of the management.

Cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Mr. Hollywood says on Feb 22, 2005, 11:53:

Sounds to me like this employee didn't just "do his job" but went beyond the line of duty tracking down the lost goods.

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Feb 22, 2005, 12:03:

You're probably right I was just thinking what would've happened if I left my passport in the plane when landing in Arlanda...but evidently the cleaning staff didn't do their job checking out the plane before it took off on the next leg. Anyway, I still think the airline should've informed the passanger that the passport was found and made arrangements for the retrieval.

Cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Peter (Moderator) says on Feb 23, 2005, 01:12:

I say reward them generously. This is a time to spread good karma. My wallet was stolen once (by a roommate) and a cleaning lady found the passport and credit cards in a bin in the bus terminal, and had m name announced. I gave her 10.000 pesos (about a day's salary, US$ 5). I was kinda poor then. Now I feel bad and like a cheap bastard - I should have made her month and given much more. Giving feels good. Be thankful you have such a great opportunity and give a lot. You'll feel good for years to come :) Cheaper than therapy.

Poor but snappy

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N2Aquatix says on Feb 23, 2005, 04:32:

How much is it worth? How much is the passport worth to you? That's where I would start. ;-)

Jay

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Hunter says on Feb 24, 2005, 06:45:

US$200 Sounds good to me, if you can afford it, plus a letter to their boss.

Hunter

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fzrdan says on Feb 24, 2005, 07:19:

I would say the minimum is what it cost to get the thing in the first place. I think it is $65. Not having to deal with the aggravation, hassle and waiting are well worth that much. What Peter said is true as well, you will make yourself feel good. After all, this is why many people give to charities, to make themselves feel good, not necessarily to help the needy. Who knows, maybe you have a new friend now as well (you shouldn't have to buy your friends though).

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miamimike says on Feb 24, 2005, 08:39:

What Airline Was IT? Just out of Curiousity, with what airline did this occur?
Considering potential problems this could have caused you had he NOT returned your passport, be generous until it HURTS. Think Idenity FRAUD, this could have put you in the toilet financially for years...years. Not to mention, as you already have, terrorism possiblities. And the Stress he saved you. Whats that worth? Can you even put a price on it? Your figure was in the ballpark-if I was really well heeled maybe 5 times that. Does he have a family-offer to take them out to a nice restaurant or some toys for his kids. He went above and beyond the "Call of Duty" to say the least. Happy to hear you had everything returned. I have done the same thing twice with wallets and money, not even a Thank you call. I would do the same thing again though, simply because its the "Right Thing" to do.Please, the Airline?

My Avatar-- Sarah Palin Says " "You know the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom?? Lipstick!" Now on a Short Verbal Tether by the Honorable John McCain

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miamimike says on Feb 24, 2005, 08:42:

Pardon Me-I see the Airline-Avianca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just got up and coming out of my Deep REM sleep stage and the first cup of coffee is just kicking in. Well now that I see its Avianca and knowing their POOR Reputation--this GUY is a KING among airline employees--Give until it really hurts. He is one of Ten Million.

My Avatar-- Sarah Palin Says " "You know the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom?? Lipstick!" Now on a Short Verbal Tether by the Honorable John McCain

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Miguel says on Feb 24, 2005, 10:06:

Mi opinion Quit debating the issue here, send the person a C-note, and thank your lucky stars.
And if you don't mind, have him ask those #1~!$% at AviNunca when they are going to refund my C-note THEY PROMISED me two weeks ago!!!
Yeah, right.

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stevens says on Feb 24, 2005, 11:44:

I lost a passport once, 15 years ago. It was in Bangkok and there was alcohol and a woman involved. And ever since, every ohter time I am going through American immigration I get asked about it. In L.A. a couple of years ago, the officar could barely speak English and hemmed and hawwed and cleared his throat imperiously. Finally he let me in but five minutes later I felt a tap on my shoulder as I was waiting for my luggage. he had come all the way down to the luggage belt to haul me back and wait at another desk for a real prick to ignore me for 20 minutes before checking something on the computer and OKing me.
The American Embassy didn't want to know me and I had a very unpleasant time wheedling a 4-month provisional passport out of them so I could get out of Thailand.

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perverso says on Oct 22, 2005, 14:44:

just the fair amount well just add up all the expenses that time and paper work would have meant for you to get a replacement passoport, plus all the aspirins that you saved and give him 80% of that. that way you fill you did good and still you gain 20% plus all the happines of having ur passport. by the way i check ur pics u r super cute only if my wife was bi to c u gurls 2gether but well she isn't. mmmmm. Any way good on you for tiping that person.

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BAQ says on Oct 22, 2005, 14:54:

GIVE GIVE GIVE YES, give the man some $$$$$$. AS other posters have stated, he saved you a HUGE AMOUNT OF TROUBLE AND GRIEF. Honestly, you have NO IDEA HOW MUCH he saved you !!

Semper Fidelis !

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CaryGrant says on Oct 22, 2005, 15:55:

"He hunted for my passport for almost a week... and found it at a completely differnt airport security in a different city."

This is much more than 'just doing his job.'

I once stayed for two weeks in the Ritz Carlton in Hawaii. My now ex left her computer battery charger in the room when we checked out. We discovered the loss as soon as we got home, and called and emailed immediately. "Sorry sir, nothing was turned in from that room." Meaning: "Our employee stole it or threw it out."

So, I say, give USD$100 and write a letter of appreciation.

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harocha says on Oct 22, 2005, 19:06:

It is not the same The situation is not the same if you loose your passport in American Airlines in San Francisco or any other city of the USA like GIB says. This is not an excuse to steal things from others, but keep in mind that they don't even make 8.50 per hour as a minimum wage, good luck if they make that in a day, and keep also in mind that champoo, gas and many other things cost exactly the same as in the USA, so they don't really "SPEND IN PESOS". One day I took a flight from Santa Marta to Bogota, and I forgot to lock my suitcase in Avianca, well guess what, all my cheap jewelery and makeup was gone when i arrived, do you really think they can sale it for thousands??? no, but they took it; so then this year i took an Avianca plane from Miami to Barranquilla, and I ALMOST forgot to lock my suitcase again, so I stop the lady who took my suitcase so i can lock it and she said: "yes you better do it because if they didn't eat today or didn't get pay for the last two months like ususally, your things won't ever arrive there".
So again this is not an exucuse for them to steal things, but GIB, I don't think you should compare USA employees with Colombian employees. I know what you mean about the rich gringos thing in Colombia, they don't think that just about the gringos, colombians think like that about anyone who works and lives any where out of Colombia. And soon or later you will experience that if you decided to live there, you have to do few things you don't want to do in order to survive.

It happens to any one even Colombians living in Colombia.
Pink_lotus if you are generous you may give a good insentive to one more person to do the right thing, because when a society doesn't know how to be good yet you can help teaching them. Remember how dogs want a cooky after doing well, and kids want a reward after getting good grades, employees want bonuses after working hard, etc. Airlines employees work for us, and we never tip them.

Harocha

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dwmte says on Oct 23, 2005, 09:05:

no one can tell you what to give... that's up to you... scour your heart and think about it. but first! find out how you're gonna get the money to them. that's the real issue. sending anything to anyone in colombia is a trick. even registering it is no guarantee. the best bet would be for you to have a friend deliver it for you if such is possible.

sending letters to colombia: always register unless it's really not important. and: never use postage stamps, use meter postage. the folks steal letters for the stamps!!! dogs!

do some homework before sending off money. first in your heart and pocket, then exactly how to get the money to them. i've learned this lesson real good over the last 17 years.

dw

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