Short version: no, a tip is not expected, and nobody will treat you differently for not leaving one. The question comes up because North American charter culture has a tipping habit that the region's turboprop operations do not share.
Why the expectation is different here
On a small aircraft the crew are usually the pilots, not a cabin service team. In several cases the captain is the operator, or one of two or three pilots the company employs.
Their pay is not structured around gratuities, unlike restaurant or hotel staff in the same country.
And the flight is short. A sector of thirty or forty minutes does not carry the service ritual a long-haul cabin does.
When people do leave something, and how
After a long day, a charter with several sectors and hours of waiting, some passengers leave something for the crew directly and discreetly.
Cash, in the local currency or dollars, handed over at the end rather than announced at the start.
Never as an inducement. A tip offered before departure, or attached to a request about weather, timing or weight, puts a pilot in an impossible position and should not happen.
What helps the crew more than money
Being ready at the agreed time. On a day with several sectors, fifteen minutes saved on each one is a legal duty day that still works.
Giving accurate weights and luggage, which is what lets a small aircraft be loaded properly.
And sending a note to the operator naming the crew. Written praise reaches the company, stays on file, and helps that pilot more than cash does.
Who else you might tip
Ground handlers, at airports where a person loads your bags and brings the vehicle up: the same customs as any service job in that country apply.
Your ground transfer driver, which is a separate arrangement and follows local practice. Ground transfer is not included in the fare: your accommodation or a local operator arranges it.
Not the operator's office staff, who are not in a tipping role at all.
The rule that avoids awkwardness
Assume no tip is needed, because it is not.
If the day was long and you want to, offer it quietly at the end, and accept a polite refusal without insisting.
And put the thanks in writing anyway. It is free, it is specific, and it is the version that outlasts the flight.
Frequently asked questions
Is a tip expected on a charter flight here?
No. Flight crew in this region are not paid around gratuities, and nobody will treat you differently for not leaving one.
What if it was a long day?
Some passengers leave something after several sectors and hours of waiting. Offer it discreetly at the end, in cash, and accept a refusal gracefully.
Can I tip before the flight?
No. A gratuity offered before departure, especially alongside a request about weather, timing or weight, puts a pilot in an impossible position.
What helps the crew more?
Being ready on time, giving accurate weights and luggage, and sending written praise to the operator naming the crew.
Should I tip ground staff?
Where a person handles your bags or brings a vehicle, normal local service customs apply. Your transfer driver is a separate arrangement.
How much is normal?
There is no customary figure here, which is the honest answer. If you choose to leave something, it is a personal gesture rather than a scale.
What the crew would rather you asked about
The weight and balance question. Where people sit on a light aircraft is an operational decision, and passengers who understand that make the day easier than any gratuity would.
The weather plan. Crews will explain what they are watching and why a departure may move; asking is welcome, pressing is not.
And the return timing. If your plans change during the day, say so early: a crew with a legal duty limit can usually absorb a change announced at noon and not one announced at dusk.
Let's plan it together
Ground transfer is not included in the fare: your accommodation or a local operator arranges it.