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Antiwork

Why I refuse to provide services exclusively to the extremely wealthy anymore.

Tales from working as a line tech at a private airport (FBO). For further clarification a line tech is basically a full service gas station attendant for small to business class aircraft. Not that you should shy away from an FBO job but my base was mostly a hub for sports charters and executives/celebrities/politicians. Very rare to see a student pilot or military. Most executives wouldn't tip. The ones that did usually gave $20 to the one person who handled bags. I had an unwritten policy that we split tips at the end of the shift, but I digress. $20 usually landed around a .15%-.008% tip. And unlike most high-end services, gratuity is not included. This got really infuriating when I Google your net worth and compare my excitement level when I find $20, and it would take $38,000 for you to be just as excited. Then you get to…


Tales from working as a line tech at a private airport (FBO).

For further clarification a line tech is basically a full service gas station attendant for small to business class aircraft. Not that you should shy away from an FBO job but my base was mostly a hub for sports charters and executives/celebrities/politicians. Very rare to see a student pilot or military.

Most executives wouldn't tip. The ones that did usually gave $20 to the one person who handled bags. I had an unwritten policy that we split tips at the end of the shift, but I digress. $20 usually landed around a .15%-.008% tip. And unlike most high-end services, gratuity is not included. This got really infuriating when I Google your net worth and compare my excitement level when I find $20, and it would take $38,000 for you to be just as excited.

Then you get to chat with some of them. Turns out because they had an in-flight meeting most of the trip will be written off on their taxes. So we pay for their vacation trip constantly yet busting your ass on a hot tarmac gets you 40-80 hours of off time a year.

It starts being impressed when someone shows basic politeness. But after three years you go full classism and dispise even the people who are cordial with you. When they open up you see they horde everything but expect far too much acknowledgment when they let a crumb drop and someone else picks it up. Even the few with good intentions are far too removed to do any good.

I got exhausted making the same wage as a ramp supervisor as I would as a low level employee at a hardware store. All I did for half my month was provide privilege for the over privileged when I could make the same helping someone build something with their hands. It was killing me slowly.

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