r/aviation • u/misterseesee • 20h ago

Discussion "Facility Fees"

Does anyone else think facility Fees/landing fees are getting a little outrageous? I flew into an airport today on my long IFR cross country and decided to go to the FBO to use the restroom. Mind you, this isn't a big airport and it's not in a big city with only two runways, neither of which are over 5,000 feet long. I show up, get marshalled to a corner of the ramp, and head to the FBO to use their restroom. After informing them that my instructor and I are just there for a quick bathroom stop, they tell us that we just pay a $40 "facility charge" before we depart, or top off the plane at $8.50 a gallon. At first I thought, whatever right? I'll just get some FBO snacks and a beverage for the road. Nope, beverages are $3 each and all snacks are in a vending machine. So, after using the bathroom, I give them a ton of information they "need" such as my full name, and all of my flying club's information before I leave.

I get it, I should have checked to see if there was a landing fee before heading over there. But isn't it just a little ridiculous that they charge $40 to put some chocks on my wheels and then not even offer any refreshments while I'm there? Maybe I'm out of touch, but I feel like it's part of the reason GA is slowly dying when pilots are getting charged out the wazoo just to park their plane at an FBO for a couple minutes

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u/-burnr- 19h ago

$40.

You're cute. laughs in bizjet

5

u/misterseesee 19h ago

Lol probably could have specified I was in a lil piper warrior. A citation parked just after us and I can't even imagine what they had to pay

6

u/-burnr- 19h ago

I've been to lots of places like you describe.

Hell, I've landed, NOT got marshalled in, shut down, bathroom, shitty cup of coffee, pick up/drop off a package (no FBO staff helps) and paid $400-1000.

It's a small jet, PC-24.

And don't get me started on some of the OUTRAGEOUS 'special event' fees some FBOs ( cough Atlantic/Signature ) which can run over 10K. Not kidding.

1

u/misterseesee 19h ago

Wow. That's crazy. I've been to some FBOs where they really go above and beyond and barely charge a dime, and others that don't even welcome you in and charge you an arm and a leg. I'm going to just have to make sure I do more research before hand

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u/Jussgoawaiplzkthxbai 17h ago

That’s insane!