Unfortunately for you, Bern charges a hefty non-Schengen fee on top of the rest.
boscomantico wrote:
Unfortunately for you, Bern charges a hefty non-Schengen fee on top of the rest.
Where is this fee, the only thing I could find on the website in the Flughafen booklet and translation for “non-schengen” is the following;
Handling is mandatory for non-Schengen flights as well as for aircraft with an MTOW > 3,500 kg.
Might be worth an email to [email protected] to confirm, but the attached taken from the airport charges link from the LSZB website (Page 8) seems to suggest 350CHF for handling which ties in with what I was quoted last time. Non-Schengen meant mandatory handling when I asked. A 3 day stay went from CHF120 (to/from domestic) to CHF466 flying to/from UK. I use LSGC, LSGL or LSGS who all seem to charge considerably less.
My bad, wasn’t aware of the mandatory handling for non-Schengen flights in Berne. While Berne is a great choice for Intra-Schengen flights without the need of a PNR to customs, the mandatory handling changes everything and costs indeed CHF 350, according to the current tariff regulations. This speaks again for alternatives like Lausanne (LSGL).
Frans wrote:
I would say the airport fees in Zurich are still quite reasonable.
I was based there. Calculating being based there again, the parking per month is now 3501 CHF. I guess that makes it outpriced.
For a normal 2-3 day rotation the costs are still feasible but imho also pretty darn high.
Sail201 wrote:
the attached taken from the airport charges link from the LSZB website (Page 8) seems to suggest 350CHF for handling which ties in with what I was quoted last time. Non-Schengen meant mandatory handling when I asked. A 3 day stay went from CHF120 (to/from domestic) to CHF466 flying to/from UK.
B.F.H!!!!
Honestly, at this rate, GA is going do die much faster than I thought.
ANY fee north of 100 Euros imho for a sub 2 T airplane with 4 seats non-schenge is abuse of monopoly. So Bern just died for me as well.
THAT is what I meant with Schengen has not been a real advantage for Swiss pilots, just the opposite. What is the f…ing use to have a nice range airplane if every time you fly out of schengen you get ripped off.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Honestly, at this rate, GA is going do die much faster than I thought.Don’t be too negative.
Currently, Switzerland is going through a positive development, as more and more former off-limits airfields, open up to the public, like LSZM, LSZX, LSTS, LSPR etc. LSTS even offers immigration (and customs) on request!THAT is what I meant with Schengen has not been a real advantage for Swiss pilots, just the opposite. What is the f…ing use to have a nice range airplane if every time you fly out of schengen you get ripped off.Where do you wanna fly out of Switzerland, which is not part of Schengen? Besides the UK and some Balkan countries, I can’t imagine that much options in a SEP. Especially now Romania and Bulgaria are joining Schengen for air travel as well and Croatia already being part of it.
Frans,
I already take issue with
A 3 day stay went from CHF120 (to/from domestic)
Domestic? So what for customs (Schengen)? I looked at the Gebührenordnung and could not even determine the landing fee.
My point is, the only reason I’d go to a place like Bern today is either if I need IFR or non Schengen. Non Schengen is obviously no longer financially possible, so Bern is off the list for me. For good.
Frans wrote:
Where do you wanna fly out of Switzerland, which is not part of Schengen?
Serbia? UK? Ok, so one has to circumnavigate those places or to replan only via Schengen states. By Bye cheap fuel in Belgrade… and so on.
Frans wrote:
Sure, this is a bad development for visitors from the UK, but not that big of an issue for Swiss pilots. Most of them will need an immigration stop anyway.
Which then you can do elsewhere with less exorbant taxes.
Honestly, the more I read the less I am motivated to continue.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Domestic? So what for customs (Schengen)? I looked at the Gebührenordnung and could not even determine the landing fee.You can download the “Tarifordnung” from their website. The fees are pretty clear. Let’s take an example for 2.000 kg MTOW (private):
Serbia? UK?Honestly, how many Swiss (private) pilots fly directly to UK or Serbia from airports like Bern? I think you can count them on one hand. Don’t get me wrong: Such an increase of fees is absolutely not acceptable and a true pain for visitors from the UK. But it doesn’t mean GA is gonna die by it, especially not, because much cheaper alternatives like Grenchen or Lausanne are right next door.
Ok, that is not too bad indeed. I was irritated by the 120 CHF someone paid for 2 days there.
Frans wrote:
Honestly, how many Swiss (private) pilots fly directly to UK or Serbia from airports like Bern?
If not from there, then from where…
Serbia: Belgrade is highly attractive as a refuelling stop and quick turn around for just about anywhere south of there, Greece, BG, e.t.c.
UK, well, quite a lot again. The UK is usually not more than 3 hours flying time away and used to be an attractive destination.
We just got back from Bern where we had the Cirrus parked for a week.
Super friendly and easy airport for GA. We paid 250 SFR all-in, which I find very reasonable for full IFR service and a super easy walk-to-the-plane kind of place.
