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What a rip-off....

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westwind driver said:
One thing about our flight department is that we NEVER pay so-called service fees. As a rule we avoid FBOs (to a reasonable extent) that have minimum fuel purchases and/or ramp fees.

We do the same as far as avoiding Signature and the like. But when you to SFO what are you going to do? Do not tell me go to OAK because this is not an option.

I will be the first to say the Signature in particular has crazy fees, HOWEVER, they are not a charity. Next time I suggest that you drop your boss off on the runway ;)
 
G100driver said:
We do the same as far as avoiding Signature and the like. But when you to SFO what are you going to do? Do not tell me go to OAK because this is not an option.

I will be the first to say the Signature in particular has crazy fees, HOWEVER, they are not a charity. Next time I suggest that you drop your boss off on the runway ;)

Like I said we avoid to a reasonable and sensible extent. Sometimes we HAVE to go to Signature, or a non-preferred FBO. Our owners however try to take a proactive approach and at times do not mind driving the extra 10-15 minutes. For example, we regularly go to Baltimore, but instead of using Signature at BWI we go to Martin State. That is partly the owners' choice, influenced by us and our fuel price research.

Again, we don't mind buying fuel, we like to buy a little if we can justify it, but when it's $5.00+ a gallon, or pay a rediculous ramp fee, we start looking for another FBO or alternate airport, and try to make it work.

I can tell you we would buy 600 gallons of JET-A at the Ranger Jet Center in ISM versus buying the minimum at Marathon. We'll do that just to make a point. One day we were going into ISM and called Marathon for a QT. They advised a minimum fuel purchase or pay ramp fee. We promptly called Ranger and they said "oh yea bring it on over here, no ramp fee, good fuel price." The service at Ranger was incredible, and we bought 600 gallons of fuel we really didn't need. But it was a little cheaper than our home gas so we tankered some home with us. To drive home the point we called Marathon while on the ground and asked the GM how he liked watching the competition pump 600 gallons of JET-A into our aircraft.

BTW, we don't always acted like complete A-holes when it comes to fuel. Sometimes being told "you have to buy this much or else" wears on you.

I can only imagine how these poor guys in Lear 20 series feel when they have to buy $4.00/gal fuel every stop they make.
 
They have a history of that......We brought 4 fighters in there about a year and a half ago....asked them VERY specifically if they had "contract fuel"...the fuels guy said yeah....we show up and yes ...they take the government gold card, but charge full price, with a thanks and tuff sh$t...lol....
 
G100driver said:
We do the same as far as avoiding Signature and the like. But when you to SFO what are you going to do? Do not tell me go to OAK because this is not an option.

What I really resent is the SFO "handling" fee for medical flights -- shoot, we don't even need to get out of the airplane! We go to SFO because it's closest to the hospital and time is VERY important.

Sometimes I'm tempted to keep the chocks, especially when I have to pull them myself.
 
Prof. ATP said:
What I really resent is the SFO "handling" fee for medical flights -- shoot, we don't even need to get out of the airplane! We go to SFO because it's closest to the hospital and time is VERY important.

Sometimes I'm tempted to keep the chocks, especially when I have to pull them myself.

That would be great!! My OCD moment would be to pull into the front row next to the Cherokee while they are marshaling us to park next to the BA 777 at the terminal when at BOS Signature. When they tell me I have to move my airplane I tell them to "handle it"
 
Last edited:
$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.
 
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
 
bobs98tlr said:
$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).
 
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.
 

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