Stuart,
There IS recourse - I hope you copied Atlantic (http://www.atlanticaviation.com/sdf.html
) on your e-mail. I would think corporate would take issue with they way you
were treated.
-----Original Message-----
From: Lancair Mailing List
[mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Stuart
Seffern
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 8:29
AM
To: Lancair Mailing List
Subject: [LML] FBO Gouging
I flew with a friend to the Kentucky
Derby on Friday to KSDF and blew a left main tire tube half way down the runway
on landing. I called Atlantic Aviation, the only FBO on the field, a week
before to ask about costs saying we were coming in for the Derby weekend.
They said there were no landing fees if you buy gas and only a $5/night tie
down. They also had free crew cars! Great!
It took 1 hour to arrive and tow us
off the runway by using a hand dolly under the tire and the tug tied onto
our tow bar because they did not have the correct adaptor. Atlantic then
wanted to charge me $200 for the tow, without asking first. There
were no tie downs. We could have easily walked the airplane off the
runway with the small hand wheel dolly. Then they wanted $500 for
their maintenance shop just to take a look at it plus $75/hour to pull the
tire, replace the inner tube and reinstall the tire. Remember, Atlantic
has no competition on the airport.
Wait, it gets better! I
respectfully declined Atlantic Aviation's $800+ offer, and took the
tire to the auto parts store where I replaced the tube for 10 dollars,
plus a 10 dollar tip to Eric, the counter guy who let me use his work bench and
tools for free. I then found a gas station and filled the tire to
what the gage said was 45 psi and reinstalled the tire on the
airplane with two friends lifting up on the wing with their backs, no jack!
When the airplane was lowered the
tire looked a bit flat so I checked the pressure and found the actual pressure
was 30 psi! I then walked over to Maintenance... five guys who were doing
nothing but standing around. I politely asked if they had a
portable air tank because I needed just about 10 pounds of pressure in
order to safely take off. They went into conference for ten
minutes while Jim and I stood there and then emerged to say that
they would "sell me the air" for $150!
So, It was back to the auto parts
store to buy a $30 air tank, and the gas station for air.
6.25/gal for 100LL!!...
Also respectfully declined, at this point not wanting to give them my credit
card number. We would stop on the way home if
necessary!
Also, no free crew car or even a
shuttle ride the 3 miles to the Churchill Downs. A Hertz Rental cost
us $271.56 for a 27 hour rental with the AOPA Discount! (Glad I bet
that $2 on Barbarao to win the Derby!)
Of course there is no recourse
except telling this story. It is the best "Consumer
Protection" we have! Repost this wherever you like.
Buyer Beware! Atlantic
Aviation's FBO at KSDF is the worst case of gouging I have seen in 30 years of
flying!
Thank god for experimentals that we
can repair ourselves!