Signature FBO (Still sucks)

[CRFLyPutt]

What else should I expect from this outfit but the highest fuel prices in the industry and $hitty service.

Pulled into Signature at HPN the other day. Not a soul on the ramp to marshall us in, so I parked up front, shut down, climb out of the cockpit and open the door on a the Lear 35 I was flying that day. As I stepped out of the airplane, this one line guy, with pants too big for him and J-Lo glasses, walks up and tells me I can't park there. I told him we were a drop off and quick turn and that wouldn't be there long. If he wanted to tell us where to park, he should have been there to guide us like 99% of all the other FBO's that do it. He shrugged his boney shoulders and walked off. Inside the FBO after we were fueled, I pulled out a credit card to pay for gas only to find out it's over $5.00 a gallon. YOU GOTTA BE F'n KIDDING ME?? The front desk lady said "I know, gas is expensive here." I chuckled thinking about what I was told in the past by a Signature employee concerning their fuel prices. She said, excellent customer service was the reason their prices are higher than most.

I avoid Signature whenever I can. How this outfit stays in business is a mystery to me?

 

[Foxcow]

I agree with you. I have only had the misfortune of dealing with them at MSP. I will never use them again unless there is no other FBO on the field.

 

[Flying Illini]

How this outfit stays in business is a mystery to me?

the Netjets business helps them out a lot. They've also got the market cornered at several locations. BOS comes to mind...IAD as well (I think.)...ORD too.

p.s. I know that it's not up to the netjets pilots to choose what fbo to go to.

 

[CRFLyPutt]

I agree with you. I have only had the misfortune of dealing with them at MSP. I will never use them again unless there is no other FBO on the field.

I have to admit, the Signature employees at MSP are pretty good compared to some of the other Signatures I've been forced to go to.

 

[Foxcow]

I have to admit, the Signature employees at MSP are pretty good compared to some of the other Signatures I've been forced to go to.

That is very sad if that is the case.

 

[siucavflight]

What else should I expect from this outfit but the highest fuel prices in the industry and $hitty service.

Pulled into Signature at HPN the other day. Not a soul on the ramp to marshall us in, so I parked up front, shut down, climb out of the cockpit and open the door on a the Lear 35 I was flying that day. As I stepped out of the airplane, this one line guy, with pants too big for him and J-Lo glasses, walks up and tells me I can't park there. I told him we were a drop off and quick turn and that wouldn't be there long. If he wanted to tell us where to park, he should have been there to guide us like 99% of all the other FBO's that do it. He shrugged his boney shoulders and walked off. Inside the FBO after we were fueled, I pulled out a credit card to pay for gas only to find out it's over $5.00 a gallon. YOU GOTTA BE F'n KIDDING ME?? The front desk lady said "I know, gas is expensive here." I chuckled thinking about what I was told in the past by a Signature employee concerning their fuel prices. She said, excellent customer service was the reason their prices are higher than most.

I avoid Signature whenever I can. How this outfit stays in business is a mystery to me?

From what I have seen in both the New York area and the Chicago area, fuel prices are right on par with the rest of the FBO's that are in that area.

 

[corp_da20_guy]

Signature at HPN is probably the worst Signature around. The last time I was there we had a little "pow-wow" with the general manager. We were trying to make a point. It worked somewhat seeing as we are a Signature base customer elsewhere but...he still was arrogant. The service really sucks bottom line. That will be our last visit to that Signature facility...time to go across the airport.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

I agree with you. I have only had the misfortune of dealing with them at MSP. I will never use them again unless there is no other FBO on the field.

There is the secret of how they stay in business.... usually they are the only choice on the field. And it's usually the big city airports. Suggest to the boss that they try a reliever airport and avoid these ripoff artists.

 

[DX Rick]

I love calling in fuel ahead of time for TEB. Can't understand the mumble mouths over the phone.

 

[cvsfly]

KMIA - Jet A no additive, all taxes = $5.13/gal, $61.00 parking (we were there 2.5 hrs) , Landing fee (not due to Signature) = $31.50. Minimum fuel purchase to avoid the ramp fee of $190 (Med Turboprop) = 120 gal. Used to be 80 gal or a charge of $ 120 (I believe)

 

[Pilot_Ryan]

Company policy for us is to avoid Signature unless it cannot be avoided. Suitable avoidance techniques include landing at other airports if Signature's the only choice.

They SUCK. I wish them nothing but ill-will, bad tidings, and halitosis of the hind-end. I say again, they SUCK.

 

[Wang Chung]

BOS comes to mind...IAD as well (I think.)...

IAD has a good Piedmont - they are a great bunch of folks.

Isn't Signature BOS the one with the TSA-style walk-thru metal detector and baggage x-ray machine?

 

[Flying Illini]

IAD has a good Piedmont - they are a great bunch of folks.

Isn't Signature BOS the one with the TSA-style walk-thru metal detector and baggage x-ray machine?

It's been a while since I've been into IAD. Yes, BOS is the signature with the stupid metal detector and xray machine. I like to leave the building carrying my leatherman so that when I walk through the xray machine the guy asks me to empty my pockets and I pull it out, walk though, pick it up, and walk to the plane. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?! They say it is so we (the pilots) know what our pax are carrying...but when we flew big waste of space Ted Kennedy he just drove out to the plane.

 

[Hogprint]

Signature HPN has fuel contracts with Netjets and a couple of the Corp departments on that side of the field. I think that is where their attitude comes from.

I would have thought that since NJA moved to their own hangar, that cust service would have improved down at Sig? I guess not!

 

[ETOPS-787]

Hell with Signature

I never give them any business and we don't even pay for ramp. I always make sure to load up with fuel before visiting their FBO.

They are-British-run FBO chain and they don't deserve my money.

 

[Capthuff]

BOS - I always wondered what they would do if I picked up a client there with rifles for a trip hunting with his buddies...

MSP - Randy - the van driver, what a nice guy, been there for a long time and funny as heck.

MIA - there is supposedly an option if you dont need fuel
Plus with OPF so close why go there?

 

[ackattacker]

BOS - I always wondered what they would do if I picked up a client there with rifles for a trip hunting with his buddies...

MSP - Randy - the van driver, what a nice guy, been there for a long time and funny as heck.

MIA - there is supposedly an option if you dont need fuel
Plus with OPF so close why go there?

It's been a couple years since I went through BOS signature but my favorite was them hitting us with a $50 security fee to drop off passengers who didn't even walk through their little pretend TSA.

Or when we had to return due to a mechanical and they hit us with another parking/handling fee. They were nice about driving us to and from the subway, however.

 

[I.P. Freley]

I haven't been to ANY FBO in at least 5 years... But I never had anything but good experiences with the Signatures in HPN, BOS, ALB, MMU, TEB, DCA, and BWI.

I used to go steal popcorn and hot chocolate from the Signature in BED, too (as a 121 pilot who had no reason to be there) 2-3 yrs ago, and did the same thing in HPN under the same circumstances as late as summer '01.

And Sig can't be the only FBO at HPN, there's another one across the field... Tiger something or another? I'm pretty sure they supply fuel, too.

 

[I.P. Freley]

Okay, how about Avitat/Skyport in HPN? I was there six mos. ago, come to think of it, parking my airplane there overnight (not allowed to leave it at the gate, typical HPN nonsense).

Different fuel supplier, can't say if it's less expensive though.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

I go into Jet Aviation at HPN a few times a month. Pretty good service in my opinion. Signature in BOS has to have the worst rep I've heard of. About a month ago calling their frequency inbound I heard a Flight Options guy give them the biggest reaming over the freq. Went something like this;

"Signature, Options 123"-then repeated 2-3 times
"Uh, 123, Signature"
"Signature, we've just been cleared to taxi and your line guy just walked away from the airplane. We need the chocks pulled NOW!"
"Uh, standby"
"We can't standby, we're holding everyone else up, we just paid $250 for your piss poor service, now get out here and do your F$$king job and pull the chocks!!!"

I'm paraphrasing but that seems to sum up Signature (although I make sure the chocks are pulled before getting into the airplane).

Mr. I.