Worst FBO

[acaTerry]

I'm getting burned out on the "best of" stuff in ProPilot, AIN, etc. How about we act like pilots and beyotch about something? What is the worst FBO?

 

[AftCG182]

Landmark/HPN... how do I say it so we don't get a lawsuit...

"not great":uzi:

 

[sqwkvfr]

Blythe, California.

 

[gutshotdraw]

Most Signatures. First Av TEB although that seems to be improving since JJ and his buds bought the place.

 

[RNObased]

Man, this is so easy.

The worst is Signature BWI. Here are my reasons.

1. Bad service

2. Having to be "escorted" everywhere on the ramp by people who have been in the country a year or so.

3. Bad attitudes by the staff

Honorable mention; Signature SFO.

 

[NJAPLT]

Edited to avoid any issues with my employer, I will not name the place but they actually have trailers inside of a hanger, all we need is a car on blocks and about 3 dogs....

Oh, and service is slow, GPU's kick offline all the time, but I guess when you are the only game in town you don't really have to at least try to improve.

Note: This is my personal opinion only, and does not reflect whatever the opinion is of my employer in any way.

 

[captain dad]

Prince Edward Island. There is no FBO. It's a potential Goat Rope if you don't have the fuelers number or the code to the security door. The fueler was a nice guy.

 

[PUNISHER]

Encore in FSD

The GM there is the biggest D-Bag I've ever met. I will go to ABR for fuel from now on.
Nothing like loosing a 1000 gallon fuel purchase, their loss.

 

[BEfly]

-Signature - (SFO) pay 400 bucks to drop pax and they won't pull a GPU
-Signature (LAS)
- like someone said...The one with trailers inside the hangar
- Swift (PHX)
- Atlantic (ELP)
- Signature (BOS)

 

[satpak77]

Signature and Signature

 

[Going2Golf]

Landmark South- SAT....its stuck in the 70s. Someone needs to remodel using some C4.

 

[DO-82 driver]

....jfk

 

[glasspilot]

I wonder if anyone from Signature reads this?

Do they know all the pilots hate them or do they just feel all snuggly with their NJ contract?

Seems to me they just act arrogant with poor service and obscene prices justified by name recognition and (often) airport monopolies alone.

 

[hammer2]

sig @ BWI & MIA!!

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I wonder if anyone from Signature reads this?

Do they know all the pilots hate them or do they just feel all snuggly with their NJ contract?

Seems to me they just act arrogant with poor service and obscene prices justified by name recognition and (often) airport monopolies alone.

Do you think they really care?

Where else are you going to go at BWI, MIA, DCA etc?

The Signatures at airports with other FBOS are now competitive (if not the lowest) in terms of fuel costs and IMO, have fine service.

Does the pilot have a choice? You usually go where the pax want or where the cheapest fuel is!

 

[jtf]

I second JFK. They obviously don't want us there and the lack of almost anything remotely like customer service is far below any airline. Signatures mostly do suck, but at least they try every once in a while and have facilities.

 

[Duke of Ale]

Landmark South in SAT has been closed now for a few months. As far as BWI is concerned, being escorted to the plane is a security requirement by the airport. (Not saying it is effective)
My choice for a bad FBO is Personal Jet in FXE. Terrible service!

 

[J3guy]

signature mia. service is so bad that i generally park up front by the door regardless where the rampers want me. It fun to see them get unwound.

 

[Ticker]

Seen most of those already listed but in my experience at the frax for over 8 years the all around champion for crappy service from an FBO (a buisness that is supposed to SERVE its customers)

Jimsair in SAN.

You have to chase after one person for your catering, another for your coffee, another for an interior vac, another for the fuel. Yadda, yadda, yadda. That after requesting all of it at the counter or via the radio inbound for a turn. I don't say quick because that in NOT in their vocabulary.

If you need a shuttle to the hotel, they'll get to you after they are done shuttling people to and from their parking lot and the airline terminal. They get 10 - 20 bucks for someone who's parking their car and they jump for that but the crew flying the GIV who might be uplifting 1000 gallons or more the next day can wait til they're good and ready to take them to-from the hotel. I stopped asking an just requested a taxi.

 

[nomore]

Signature is OK with me

Signature always has a WSI machine. All the ones I've been to have wireless internet access. If you go in with the attitude that Signature sucks then you're probably going to get service up to your expectations, but if you go in with a friendly Hi, how's your day going? Oh I could use a top off and a gpu attitude well that's also what you get. Besides they even carry the Sunday NYTimes, free! At least to me. Do they charge more for fuel, I don't care. And if you bought fuel at one Signature that day they don't charge you ramp fees if you don't need fuel, just hang onto the receipt. They pay the lines guys a decent salary and I see the same faces on return trips. A couple of 'em have even remembered me. Even in BWI! But then again I, and now I'm dating myself, got pretty good service from Butler! Anybody remember Butler?

 

[Pervis]

First Aviation, TEB. Right up there with many if not most Signatures.

 

[G100driver]

Sheltair - LGA.

 

[Lou3]

Landmark IAD is nothing to sing about.

All Signatures (actually, MMU ain't bad)

I agree on the JimsAir SAN sentiment.

 

[CA1900]

On the "good FBO" side, I have to give kudos to MillionAir in ADS. The movie theater is, of course, terrific, but they get extra points for the little video monitor in the pilot's lounge, which is hooked to a camera right over the girls at the front desk, pointing way more down than necessary!

Sweeeet. imp:


For crappy FBO? I'm gonna go with First in TEB, if only because the support we get isn't anywhere near commensurate with the amount of money we spend there.

 

[glasspilot]

Oh yeah, First in TEB!

It's a nice facility but set up all wrong. They have a gym with showers..nice. Then they have no dedicated crew room so I have to wait for three limo drivers to finish checking thier email to file a dang flight plan.

On another note;

Who uses those WSI computers to file / check weather. Doesn't just about everyone use fltplan.com or have a dispatch dept? I wish FBOs would get in step and provide 3 things...a computer, internet, and a printer. That's all I need to file and get weather. I don't need or want Duats, WSI or any other crazy system that doesn't get me onto the internet!

 

[G100driver]

I have an arincdirect account and I use the WSI all time. Especially the radar picture while waiting out WX. So let's not get rid of them just yet.

 

[KCMac]

I wish FBOs would get in step and provide 3 things...a computer, internet, and a printer. That's all I need to file and get weather.

Ditto - I am amazed that any FBO in 2008 would not have at least WiFi so I could at least use my own laptop.

 

[OldCrow]

Smo

Supermarine, now Atlantic in Santa Monica is, and has been, on my worst list for the past year!

 

[glasspilot]

Ditto - I am amazed that any FBO in 2008 would not have at least WiFi so I could at least use my own laptop.

Screw WiFi. It's nice and if they want to fine, but not until there's the computer, internet, and a printer.

Those three things and a Fuel Truck enable me to do my job. Take any one away and it's a wrench in the works.

I'm amazed every time I go in and the FBO girl points to some WSI machine and gives me the same dumb stare I give the WSI machine. What am I supposed to do with THAT?

I have no idea how to file with the thing. I would bet most, and I mean a VAST majority, of pilots flying corporate (that don't have a dispatch) use fltplan.com and need what I need.

 

[KCMac]

Screw WiFi. It's nice and if they want to fine, but not until there's the computer, internet, and a printer.

When I said WiFi, the internet part was implied. I like using my own laptop to chk wx and file. Login/Passwords/favorites etc already set. Also - if they do have a computer, I don't have to wait in line for it.