I always support the idea of avoiding unnecessary stops due to various reasons already mentioned in numerous threads. However, sometimes you have to stop for refueling in order to maintain required level of safety or to clear customs/immigration. With increasing airport fees and fuel duties, the price of such stop can range from acceptable to outrageous. The last two ones I made, easily fall in the last category.
At the beginning it’s important to say that Jet A1 at my base costs €1.30 with all duties included and I checked fuel prices and planned stops and destination.
On a flight from LDVA to EGGP (900+ NM, with usual headwind 6+ hours in the air and practically all FOB) I decided to make a fuel stop at EBKT, although on particular day the flight was doable with minimum reserve. According to plan, it should’ve lasted 5:30 with 68 USG of fuel (out of 76) but still I considered it little bit overstretched. In reality, combining LDVA-EBKT and EBKT-EGGP gave exactly those figures. However, I decided what I decide and landed at EBKT a nice and friendly airport in Flandres. While I still didn’t get airport bill (I expect something in range €50) the fuel was pretty expensive. I did a top up of some 100 litres with base price of €1 which in the end with all duties and weekend €60 special fee ended up at €240.
At EGGP I refuelled at €1.23 (GBP 1.05), no BS of any kind the price they gave me before in email was the price I paid. EBKT and LOWL gave me only base prices and I estimated (wrongly) final price knowing excise and VAT.
On a way back I made a stop at LOWL, nice and friendly airport in Austria with acceptable €67 airport fees. However, the fuel again caught me with surprise and it was worse than in Belgium. Small top up of 122 litres of Jet A1 with base price €0.84 (€102) ended up with bill of over €290. Here’s this beautiful calculation: more than €90 of some invented fees, almost €50 of excise and modest below €50 on top of everything.
JetA1 prices (fully taxed) of 2.50€ per litre are actually the norm rather than the exception in Central Europe.
The exceptions are UK, Channel Isles, Luxembourg, plus a few countries in the east of Europe.
boscomantico wrote:
JetA1 prices (fully taxed) of 2.50€ per litre are actually the norm rather than the exception in Central Europe.
Maybe in Germany but it’s definitely not like that in Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia. And even in the case above in Austria it wasn’t that expensive – the suddenly invented fees made it expensive. I’m sure these fees exist in their price list but you are never informed about them until refeuling is over (in my case a week later when I got the invoice via email). If these are omitted from the invoice, total bill including VAT would be around €180, so price per liter would be €1.50 rather than €2.40.
Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia
That‘s what many of us count as „Eastern Europe“ (even though they themselves like to call it „Central Europe“…).
No, my point was that it is not just Germany. Add France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain. Mostly any place where GA happens in Europe. Don‘t quote me exactly on the 2.50€ (I don‘t follow the jet prices so closely), but they are all more or less „up there“.
Generally, I have the impression that many owners switching from Avgas planes to Jetfuel planes end up paying much more for their fuel than they were initially hoping for. This is especially true for the diesel engine piston crowd, which either tends to use small airfields (where Jet-A is usally more expensive to begin with) or because they end up paying hookup fees and low quantity surcharges at the big airports.
Jet fuelled aircraft have their merits, but it‘s more in the better availability in most parts of Europe than in price savings per litre.
And even in the case above in Austria it wasn’t that expensive – the suddenly invented fees made it expensive. I’m sure these fees exist in their price list but you are never informed about them until refeuling is over (in my case a week later when I got the invoice via email). If these are omitted from the invoice, total bill including VAT would be around €180, so price per liter would be €1.50 rather than €2.40.
As with everything else in life, net prices are irrelevant. It‘s the bottom line that counts.
Next time you’ll get more travel Johns…
LOLW (next to LOWL) is convenient, self service pump and Jet A is 1.957€/L (Spot price 20.06.2023). Around 50€ less for your uplift.
Generally, I have the impression that many owners switching from Avgas planes to Jetfuel planes end up paying much more for their fuel than they were initially hoping for. This is especially true for the diesel engine piston crowd, which either tends to use small airfields (where Jet-A is usally more expensive to begin with) or because they end up paying hookup fees and low quantity surcharges at the big airports.
Good point that is often overlooked.
You just have to use the right plane. When you can bunker 2000 liters the hookup fees don’t count that much any more in relation 
Add France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain.
I believe France and Denmark don’t belong to this list. Wherever I landed in there I paid normal price (around €1.50 and €1.80 respectively at today’s level). And Austria neither, as @Snoopy wrote above.
Next time you’ll get more travel Johns…
infinite quantity for €200.
You just have to use the right plane.
Agree
Please pardon the silly question, but… what is “hook-up fee” ? or more exactly what is it supposed to pay?
