Where Is The Tip? American Airlines Passenger Steps Out Of DFW Flagship Lounge Shower — Into A Cash Shakedown

An American Airlines passenger used their flight delay for a shower in the business clsas Flagship Lounge at DFW airport. After the shower, they spotted a staff member described as a cleaning lady and said “thank you” and started walking away. The employee stopped them and asked “where is the tip?”

The customer says they hadn’t even thought about tipping and didn’t have cash. They walked away, and the employee mumbled something under her breath.

There are two basic principles that matter here, I think:

• The passenger is traveling on American, and this benefit was included in the cost of their ticket.
  
• The employer should cover the cost of their employees, not the customer.

First Class American Airlines/British Airways Chelsea Lounge Where Shower Attendants Left Cleaning Supplies Behind

The tip ask was not appropriate. I’ve taken many showers in airport lounges and I’ve never been asked for a tip. However it appears some people leave $2 – $5 after a shower, though even they agree asking for the tip crosses a line. Also, there are a whole bunch of ‘just the tip’ jokes, coming out of the shower.

Let’s be clear, though: it’s not the norm that a tip is expected for an airport lounge shower. Ben Schlappig who frequently writes that he tips generously, acknowledges that “tipping in airport lounges is never expected.” In the U.S., people do tip more often than elsewhere, but argues that “appropriate” tipping is for drinks, sit-down meals, spa treatments, and exceptional service.

Capital One Lounge DFW Airport Shower Suite

Lucky recognizes that it’s mostly foreigners tipping in U.S. airport lounges, because foreigners just misunderstand the custom and assume you have to tip everywhere in this country. That alone suggests it is not the norm, and that you aren’t expected to tip. I’d add that outside the U.S., the shower-tip concept often reads as culturally alien.

There was a past scam at the LAX Qantas lounge where shower attendants allegedly staged “tips” in the room. However, because showers are often used after long-haul and are included in the ticket, there’s no reasonable expectation you even have local currency. There can’t be an expectation to tip.

• According to the Sodexo lead for United’s Polaris lounges there’s no formal policy on this. Employees are told not to expect tips, and they’re not to solicit them. However, guests are permitted to tip for good service.

• The official position for American Flagship First Dining, according to an American Airlines Senior Vice President I once asked, is that there’s no tipping because it’s considered ‘an extension of the cabin’ where tipping is expressly forbidden. First Dining isn’t the shower, but it’s part of the same facility.

• American Express says that tipping at Centurion lounge bars and spas is permitted, but not expected.

Cathay Pacific The Wing Cabana

This was an American Airlines lounge, not a United or American Express lounge. American Airlines employees are not permitted to accept cash tips however these aren’t American employees providing service in the lounge.

A shower attendant isn’t well paid, but also isn’t making minumum wage either. At the DFW Flagship lounge they likely make around $19 per hour based on Compass listings for this lounge for floor attendant and on reports of dishwasher pay there.

For those of you that have taken showers in airport lounges, have you left a tip?