[Iceman]

So you are left with ASG. For a very reasonable consideration (low enough that their fee plus the landing fee they also collect represents good value) you can taxi right up to their smart hangar under the guidance of a friendly marshaller who will get the fuel truck over immediately and then later on after you've jumped in a taxi they'll tow your aircraft to a parking spot on the GA.

Beware though, if you get fuel ‘organised’ by ASG, then you will not be able to take advantage of the AOPA 5% discount rate in Guernsey. You have to call the fuel truck yourself and pay the fuel truck directly in order to get the AOPA discount. Normally on arrival, ATC will ask if you require fuel, to which you reply in the affirmative.

Iceman

[Flyingfemme]

What is different about my sector? One, or two people in an otherwise empty aircraft. Not for hire or reward. I use an aircraft like I use a car or van. In winter it might be a turboprop for safety reasons. I don’t need or require fancy service, just a landing fee.

[FlarePath]

I think the three old girls on the BBC prog "Rip off Britain" should be contacted about this, that will get it sorted.

[johnm]

Compulsory handling is probably illegal but no one has yet got round to challenging it

[flybymike]

I think the three old girls on the BBC prog "Rip off Britain" should be contacted about this, that will get it sorted.

They certainly frighten me,

[defcribed]

What is different about my sector? One, or two people in an otherwise empty aircraft. Not for hire or reward. I use an aircraft like I use a car or van. In winter it might be a turboprop for safety reasons. I don’t need or require fancy service, just a landing fee.

Businesses take the view that if they charge it, you will pay it and keep coming. It appears you do....

I'm not arguing it's fair or reasonable, but it's a market. Unless each town/destination is surrounded by half a dozen airfield all cutting each other's throats over pricing, then they'll charge the maximum they believe you'll pay.

[defcribed]

Beware though, if you get fuel ‘organised’ by ASG, then you will not be able to take advantage of the AOPA 5% discount rate in Guernsey. You have to call the fuel truck yourself and pay the fuel truck directly in order to get the AOPA discount. Normally on arrival, ATC will ask if you require fuel, to which you reply in the affirmative.

I didn't know that, but then I'm not an AOPA member. I think I normally ask ATC on the taxi in, so the fuel is not arranged by ASG but they do let it happen in the space outside their hangar before they tow you off to parking and the payment goes through them.

[defcribed]

Well stone me, £41 to use a proper airport on a beautiful island, complete with radar, ILS, lighting...

Thing is, thing is... I willingly pay a landing fee already, so what is a handling fee providing over and above that?

When I stay at a hotel but don't use the minibar, don't use the laundry service and don't have breakfast then, astoundingly, they don't charge me for them.

As for the fire service, well - a hotel pays for that out of the "landing fee" equivalent that they charge me.

Compulsory handling is a scam, charging a captive audience an unjustifiable rate for facilities many people do not use.

Well, the thing is at least at Guernsey, you do use their services. You use their gate because the airport does not provide a public access gate.

I agree it's a scam of sorts and it would be preferable if all airports offered an option to self-handle (i.e. a public access gate, general GA parking and an easy means to pay the landing fee) but they don't and it appears there are no rules that would compel them to.

The reality is that in Europe airports are businesses and can largely do as they please. They're not public infrastructure with rules in place to ensure fair and equitable access.

If I got all hot under the collar about it then I'd never fly anywhere that charged handling. So as I said, I just view the cost as all-in. It costs £41 to use Guernsey, and I'm prepared to pay that based on the location and the services available. If it reaches a level where I'm not prepared to pay it then I won't go there, regardless of whether the increase is in the landing fee or the handling.

[Martin.g]

ASG Handling fee in Guernsey for light G.A recently doubled to £20 from £10 . Not saying its poor value but just to make people aware.

[2Donkeys]

Compulsory handling is probably illegal but no one has yet got round to challenging it

I would love to hear the legal basis for such a blanket assertion.

[akg1486]

From a GA consumer's point of view, I agree with many here that it's an odd business model: what looks like it ought to be a "landing fee" is split into two separate parts. And it makes it confusing to figure out how much the "landing fee" really is. What really annoys you is to spend some time trying to check what it will cost to land, park and refuel and then be presented with an additional bill.

I guess it can be seen as a result of a free market, at least in some places: once you've chosen to land at a certain airport, there's no choice in ATC and runway but there might be a choice between different handling agents. AIUI that's quite common even for smaller airports in the US; I haven't come across it in Europe. (But then again, I'm a light GA pilot.) When there's competition, there are also more reasonable handling prices, often waived if refueling.

As a GA pilot, I'm prepared to pay for the actual landing and a parking fee if staying longer than a few hours. "Landing" to me includes getting in and out of the airport. If I'm not allowed to walk and need to be picked up: fine, the landing fee can be higher since I get more service. As long as I only need such basic services, any choice of handling agent can only be based on price: there's no gold-plated service that would warrant a higher fee. I think the airport should provide the necessary services to me as a package with one price. If they have subcontractors for ATC, follow-me cars, pick-up, security or whatever: fine. But sort it out for me and present me with ONE bill. And show that price on the web site. Apart from fuel, parking is really the only additional service that I want and am prepared to pay for.

[James Chan]

Compulsory handling is probably illegal but no one has yet got round to challenging it.

Indeed it may be. In simple terms, airports over 1m pax pa or 25k tonnes of freight pa must permit the freedom to self-handle unless otherwise approved.

See Airports Groundhandling Regulations 1997: https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-indust ... ions-1997/

And CAP1358: https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CA ... 0Mar16.pdf

[2Donkeys]

So, to make the conversation real @James Chan and @johnm , can we name an airport covered by those regulations, which is potentially preventing self-handling contrary to regulation or law. Teesside appears to fall below the threshold and yet imposes handling.
What's the story there?

[James Chan]

The airports falling into scope of this regulation are:

Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Luton, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle, East Midlands, Belfast International, London City, Liverpool, Aberdeen, Leeds Bradford, Belfast City, Southampton, Cardiff, Southend and Doncaster Sheffield

If these have not been given approval to limit the number of self-handling users, then there is a legal case to pursue where they mandate handling - see my league table link earlier in this thread.

As Teesside falls outside this, then there’s probably not a lot that can be done other than look at anti-competition law, which can take a very lengthy time to resolve.

[Miscellaneous]

Having many times been on the receiving end of people objecting to my trying to make a living I generally get cheesed off at pilots complaining about paying a reasonable landing fee.

However, when I read the below charging structure (and similar) I struggle to see how it can be directly related to running costs. That said I'm not convinced it is profiteering, it could equally be designed to discourage and at that it certainly succeeds.

And an extra £10 for anyone arriving without PPR at a regional controlled and very quiet airport…FFS. But never mind if you can manage to squeeze 70ltrs of AVGAS in you can have £10 off.

Inverness mandatory handling charges: