One reply from one of the two handlers – Mungo Fly:
Dear Peter, clear then a stop to make customs in Italy. The cost will be € 250 including landing and take-off taxes, if you accept, the aircraft callsig, arrival date and a copy of the crew and passenger passports and billing data. Thanks and good evening
Asd Mungo Fly ets
il Presidente
Giuseppe Fortunato
Contatti
Sede Legale: Viale Europa, 2 Bari – Italy
+39335403786
[email protected]
Pec: [email protected]
Piva: 01831190762
So I am looking at others e.g. Calabria LICR. Unfortunately it takes days to get a reply with costs. I don’t care up to about €100 (for a trip I won’t be repeating anytime soon, obviously, with this much hassle) but 250 is ridiculous. Brindisi also has a report on our database so contacting the handler there too.
Calabria is very cheap – must be a catch! Presumably this is just the airport, and the handler will sting you.
Calabria_Airport_Fees_and_Charges_Update_20160901_pdf
Suggest you contact Caterina at [email protected] for handling and costs at Reggio LICR. M: + 39 3498706585. There is an avgas pump on the apron, the Carboil man will come and fuel the aircraft, then you go to his cabin to pay. Reggio is a fairly quiet regional airport with a few airline flights per day. The city of Reggio is pleasant enough with plenty restaurants and a scenic boulevard overlooking the Straights of Messina. But it could be a fuel stop for:
Across the Straights, just south of Taormina, there is a 480m earth/gravel strip at Calatabiano. Surface is good. Generally land on 03 and depart on 21 due to a hill at the north end. Friendly owner, nominal parking fee. Taormina would be a great destination – loads of restaurants, very scenic, ancient Greek amphitheatre, frequent buses to Etna, etc. I guarantee the ladies will like it! The owner of our hotel transported us to and from the airstrip.
Thank you – I had emailed LICR on that address this morning. No reply yet.
I have more or less scrapped the original plan due to various difficulties but will still probably wonder down there for a few days to hang out and see how it goes. If anyone wants to meet up, let me know 
Pescara LIBP is another possibility – our database suggests costs are fine, and I would get a nice flight along Italy to Sicily from there, rather than just long over-water legs.
No prob. Caterina speaks English so a phone call might work.
Very very hard to get sensible routes LDSB – anywhere with immigration – LICP. There is something about the bottom end of Italy.
Do you EVER check IFR & VFR maps before running AR?
Seems full of restricted areas and no airways to cut through
Should be ok +FL150 though
Sure; I realise this, but I am routing for up to FL170 and it still can’t do it.
Anyway, these should be scenic routes
Yes – Caterina at LICR sounds great Thanks for that lead!
Pescara LIBP also seems reasonably priced.
I realise this, but I am routing for up to FL170 and it still can’t do it.
You can get shortcuts at FL200+ which is hardly feasible for majority of GA.
BARI / BRINDISI is about 100-200€ for a fuel stop. It was 188€ for 3.4tons. For <2t it will be a bit less.
Brindisi is a bit quicker. Bari walks you through the terminal for immigration which takes a few minutes longer. Both options are absolutely ok and handling is efficient and friendly.
And prices like recent ones in Croatia. Italy also started to be a place to avoid.
E.g. I pay below €20 for refueling and immigration stop at Beziers LFMU – they don’t care how many people are in the aircraft, they don’t pretend they offer some “handling” and certainly they don’t charge non-existing and non-delivered services. Recently I paid €170 at Cagliari LIEE just for refueling stop: I landed, refueled, walked from the apron to the office, paid the fees, walked back and took off. And they said they charged me minimum handling. Handling? What a joke…
And it’s not about the money, it’s about service – existing and delivered or not. Recently I was at Birmingham EGBB with XLR as a handler: private apron parking upgraded to hangar parking for free (£40 per day), £54 for handling – lounge, room for crew rest, toilets, showers, coffee, sandwiches, snacks, drinks and even a bottle of champagne.
