What a rip-off....

[bobs98tlr]

$130 OR 80 Gallons....at FWA? Total rip off. I work at an FBO and see QT's with no fuel all the time (most take fuel since we are 3.09 a gallon) but some will only be there for about 5-10minutes MAX. All i did was marshall them in and chock the airplane. To me there is NO good reason to charge for this service. Unless its a 727 picking up 40 people and all there cars are going to take up the parking lot for 4 days and they left a huge mess in the lobby with a cattering order. Then i can see a service fee but nothing for a lear or king air. Thats just my opinion. If you treat people right and do them a favor they will remember and keep comming back for the service, cheap fuel and courtesy.

 

[Cowboypilot]

Update Update

Did the trip through FWA. On the first QT i ordered the 40g/side @$4.38/g to aviod the $130 ramp fee. Line service was on the ball. Helped with the luggage and had the power cart standing by.

The next day on the way back through, I gave the standard call on AIRINC (really 122.95) with the 40/side and power cart.
Got there this time and no one was there to marshall me in, no one helped with the bax, got the fuel order wrong.....80/side @$4.38/g. I called 3 times for the cart, then after a battery start on the -10 SW3, I had to call for someone to marshal me out (didnt need this, but I couldnt remember if I pull my own chalks.

Called the FBO Mananger this morning and we settled on the difference in his fuel price and our home price, for the extra 80g.

Im writting a letter to the City Government next to complain.

Out

 

[Cowboypilot]

opps

Should be chock not chalk. My bad.

 

[Groundpounder]

$130 OR 80 Gallons....at FWA? Total rip off. I work at an FBO and see QT's with no fuel all the time (most take fuel since we are 3.09 a gallon) but some will only be there for about 5-10minutes MAX. All i did was marshall them in and chock the airplane. To me there is NO good reason to charge for this service. Unless its a 727 picking up 40 people and all there cars are going to take up the parking lot for 4 days and they left a huge mess in the lobby with a cattering order. Then i can see a service fee but nothing for a lear or king air. Thats just my opinion. If you treat people right and do them a favor they will remember and keep comming back for the service, cheap fuel and courtesy.

I am going to assume that your FBO has insurance, and pays some sort of lease for the land, and pays for you to work the front line, and has many other costs. So how does your FBO make money on aircraft that just do QT's and never take fuel? They are in fact losing money on those aircraft.

And hopefully you did more than marshall and chock the plane (i.e. help pax and crew with bags, put out the red carpet, and generally be a friendly smiling face at the a/c).

 

[inthewind]

I've never been charged a ramp fee at any Piedmont-Hawthorne anywhere we go. I RDU great fbo with great service and people, no charges. I feel bad doing that but they act like it's no problem because they know we'll choose them over a-holes like Signature every time.

 

[bobs98tlr]

I am going to assume that your FBO has insurance, and pays some sort of lease for the land, and pays for you to work the front line, and has many other costs. So how does your FBO make money on aircraft that just do QT's and never take fuel? They are in fact losing money on those aircraft.

And hopefully you did more than marshall and chock the plane (i.e. help pax and crew with bags, put out the red carpet, and generally be a friendly smiling face at the a/c).

First of all, of course i helped the pax......read airnavs comments on the FBO im at. Its North American Aviation. We do the whole carpet treatment/door opening thing for eveyone. I just wasnt going to list EVERY LITTLE thing i do when a plane stops in for a QT when that wasnt the subject being discused. Now, we do have insurance and we do pay a lease on the ramp space. However we dont outragiously charge our customers for a 10 minutes stop over when they need a QT. Its not really a QT when we have to have the pilots go inside and handle the ramp fee rather then them trying to tent to the pax and getting situated for there flight. We make our money on the fuel and cargo fees. So, we are in FACT not losing money because we dont charge a stupid ramp fee. But if you want to fly 50 miles east over to PWK im sure they will NOT have any problems with givin you a ramp fee...Im sure they are making a killing.

 

[flyinlow67]

So how does your FBO make money on aircraft that just do QT's and never take fuel? They are in fact losing money on those aircraft.

How does an FBO loose money on an aircraft they do nothing to? If the ramp maintenance is done by the airport authority, the line crew doesn't chock the plane, and the plane isn't blocking anyone in, then what is the difference?
I got charged $145 in STL the other day on a QT and didn't get parked, or anything. Part of it is a landing fee, but come on folks! This is getting to be highway robbery.

 

[Groundpounder]

How does an FBO loose money on an aircraft they do nothing to? If the ramp maintenance is done by the airport authority, the line crew doesn't chock the plane, and the plane isn't blocking anyone in, then what is the difference?
I got charged $145 in STL the other day on a QT and didn't get parked, or anything. Part of it is a landing fee, but come on folks! This is getting to be highway robbery.

Look at one of my previous posts. If you are paying a ramp fee, and getting nothing in return, then you should complain, and refuse to pay the fee.

Anyway, the FBO I work for DOES charge ramp fees, and we have the highest fuel prices on the airport out of the four FBO's here. But, we are also the busiest on the field, and one of the top ten indepenent FBO's on ProPilots survey. Those ramp fee's go towards brand new equipment, and paying above average salarys so that we can have the best people possible working for us.

 

[Tigers]

I guess I don't need to tip the line guy's anymore since they are being so handsomely paid by said FBO who is charging me to taxi into their ramp space.

 

[Groundpounder]

I guess I don't need to tip the line guy's anymore since they are being so handsomely paid by said FBO who is charging me to taxi into their ramp space.

Right.......I've been doing this 10 years, and I do ok, but trust me $5 is nice now and then.

 

[KSUPILOT]

Our company mandates that we do not use Mercury (BC of Ricci) and no Signature. Additionaly if we are there less than 15 minutes we never go in and pay the fee. Our company attorney found some clause for public use airports and sends them a letter with it attached and we never hear about it. We will probaly be out of busineess shortly!

 

[Cowboypilot]

Can I have a copy

Can I have a copy of that doc?

 

[psysicx]

I think that these FBO's need more competition.

 

[G100driver]

Our company mandates that we do not use Mercury (BC of Ricci) and no Signature. Additionaly if we are there less than 15 minutes we never go in and pay the fee. Our company attorney found some clause for public use airports and sends them a letter with it attached and we never hear about it. We will probaly be out of busineess shortly!

Yes, please post it. It would be very helpful to all of us.

 

[bobs98tlr]

I think that these FBO's need more competition.

Thats what im saying man....Some FBOs are just crazy when it comes to this crap. Im in IL and see alot of places where a good honest FBO could make alot of money..for instance DKB there is no longer an FBO there and it gets VERY busy on the weekends. PIA..Byerly is the only one there and they are expensive (line guys suck but the customer service inside is great).