Travel letters: Tipping hotel housekeepers is a tipping point for some readers

Regarding “Marriott Has a Tip for Aiding Housekeepers” [More for Your Money, by Jill SchensuI, Oct. 26]: I suggest that Marriott pay a decent wage.

Tom McKerr

Huntington Beach

As one of the 70% who do not regularly tip housekeepers, I am entitled to a clean and neat room every night in return for the hundreds of dollars the hotels charge. It is Marriott’s responsibility to provide a safe workplace and compensate their employees appropriately, and not expect their guests to make up the deficiency.

Fredric Reichel

Santa Monica

Let’s see now, as I read the Travel section [Oct. 26], I turn to Page 2 and there’s a story about the airlines, “Your Airline Seat May Not Truly Be ‘Reserved.’” I continue to read, so far so good. Then on Page 8 there it is, why we should tip housekeepers. The airlines have gouged everyone who flies with a fee for this or that. Then hotels began to charge a resort fee, plus other fees. Restaurants are now adding a 0.03% charge to all tabs to help with healthcare. My question is this: Is that my responsibility? Now some restaurants are automatically adding the tip (OK) and the 0.03% healthcare charge. Where does it end? It doesn’t, because tip jars are the norm in a lot of businesses. Don’t get me wrong, I go to some of the best restaurants in this city and I truly don’t mind tipping for service, but somewhere along the line you feel you are being taken advantage of, or better yet, a walking dollar sign.

Charles P. Martin

Los Angeles

Regarding “Your Airline Seat May Not Truly Be ‘Reserved’” [On the Spot, by Catharine Hamm, Oct. 26]: The problem is we deregulated the airlines, and they are there only for the upper class and maybe upper-middle class. This is what is going on in our wonderful country. Corporations are taking advantage of the average person so they cannot participate, and the corporate heads are just taking these obscene salaries.

Arnold Familian

Rancho Mirage

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