It is a very good letter which makes accurate points.
Whether anything can change is another matter.
Greece had its back to the wall (in terms of loans from the EU) when the “Fraport option” was “presented” to them, so Fraport “became the logical choice of business partner” 
But Greece always will have its back to the wall… corruption (ready acceptance of bribes from any vendor; they always seem to be on offer), mismanagement, job creation.
The actual implementation on the ground is done by Greek locals, of course, and as usual when a person sees somebody being ripped off, most people will think of whether they can also position themselves on the revenue stream, so the end result is everybody involved with a Fraport airport is ripping everybody off… All that is left in Greece in terms of value are the various smaller places.
Peter wrote:
It is a very good letter which makes accurate points.Whether anything can change is another matter.
Next time they send a “very good letter” to you to complain that – as discussed in your forum – the airspace structure in UK is so complex. You might not be able to change it but they can complain about you anyways…
Malibuflyer wrote:
Unfortunately typical activism by AOPA w/o any sense!
Noted and to some point I agree, but in such a case what would you propose as course of action on their (or any institution’s representing GA) part ?
Personally I think the letter is pretty good. Maybe could have been a bit shorter and to the point, but it makes essential points and ends with a plea for a reasonable outcome.
I would add that when I flew to Corfu a few weeks ago the service I received from Skyserv there was excellent. But the Fraport fees were another matter…
Maybe 10 years ago, the microlight community in Ireland felt very much ignored. All efforts to contact the regulator were largely ignored or dealt with with platitudes.
Eventually they decided to take a different tack. The made up placards and posters, and organised an unannounced protest outside the head office of the regulator who was about to have some significant board meeting that day. I can’t remember if there was a new chairman or some foreign dignitary attending, but there was something significant about that particular meeting that they did not want their dirty linen washed in public!
Suddenly a meeting was organised for the following week between the regulator executives and microlight community representatives, where none was ever available before, and things look a turn for the better after that.
Protests would not have been the normal form of getting your voice hear, for these people. They were professionals and senior executives, and used to working through the normal channels. But frustration turned to anger and they decided not to hold back any longer.
Perhaps a carefully times protest outside Fraport HQ in Greece might get some attention, followed by a (genuine) promise of a further protest outside Fraport HQ in Germany (I’m assuming Germany is its worldwide HQ?) on an undisclosed date in the near future might get their attention. I doubt they want such attention in Greece, and they certainly won’t want their dirty linen brought back to upset their bosses in Germany.
But of course you have to make sure that what you are asking for is within their gift to give.
Good letter but calling for a fee reduction while simultaneously highlighting that GA pilots are 10 times richer than package holiday makers is a bit of a blunder (and probably grossly untrue).
zuutroy wrote:
simultaneously highlighting that GA pilots are 10 times richer than package holiday makers is a bit of a blunder (and probably grossly untrue).
That’s not quite what it said. It said that GA pilots on the average spend 10 times more, which is not quite the same thing. And I would think the big difference is between those who are on a package tour and those who are not, regardless of their mode of transport.
I agree, although GA pilots probably spend €500-1k on fuel while in Greece. I would normally spend almost exactly €500 on 100LL upon landing on Samos, but won’t go there anymore because of the €400 Fraport ripoff (go to Sitia instead; it works out a lot cheaper as a “base” for doing a number of small islands, none of which have any fuel).
A lot of self-contained packages, Spain/Greece/Turkey/etc are very cheap – of the order of €300 including all the spaghetti you can eat
Today I made a quick hop to Kefalonia LGKF to drop friend’s wife and kids and immediately return back home to Croatia. Prior to flight I checked with GoldAir estimated fees and they wrote €200 – I remember from the past that I paid same amount for refueling stop there. It was as estimated – landing €62, parking €12 (parked for 45 min, full day was charged) and handling €130. Although it is expensive for refuelling stop, there were no surprises.
However, whats puzzling (and probably can be challenged) are the items that comprise handling.
Parking permission (although I just landed, refuelled and departed) – €30 plus VAT – so permission is 3 times more expensive than parking itself. Slot management – €40 plus VAT. I know it’s mandatory that in Greece handlers arrange slots but this is the area where AOPA could negotiate with CAA. For those who want and know how to send appropriate slot message there should be mechanism for achieving that bypassing handler and saving €50 for what is basically one e-mail.
