Fuel Rant (Atikoken)

[c150rocks]

Here is my rant that I want to pass along. I recently flew a single from Alberta to SW Ontario. I landed in Atikoken mid morning on a Saturday in June. Flight Sup did say that a call out charge could be levied for services. Fuel was 2.00 per litre plus taxes and I did get dinged $75 dollar call out charge when invoiced by mail. 78 litres of fuel cost me $261.03 or $3.34 cents per litre tax in. I thought a call out charge for a Saturday monring was extreme so I contacted the town of Atikoken by email and voice mail a few weeks ago. ( I wanted the call out charge waived) Today I received a call from the town and was told to basically go pound salt. I explained that I thought the call out charge was excessive and I was told that my fuel stop cost the tax payers of Atikoken in access of $300 (nobody works weekends in Atikoken) so quit your whining so to speak. I explained that with your cost of fuel, the call out should factored in and that I'm sure I wasn't the only pilot that was jaded by the high cost of flying into your airport on a Saturday or Sunday during working hours. I was told politely that we don't need your business thank you very much for calling good bye..... click....dial tone,........

So, my fellow aviators....I'm just passing along my experience and I will now avoid this airport because I felt ripped off and was treated rudely when I complained. I don't know the gentlemen that blew me off ( didn't catch his name), but I hope somebody in your town council, see's the benefits of enticing aviators to come to your town for tourism or whatever and if arriving by air have a excellent experience and that starts with your airport services. Customer Experience goes a long way. Till things change your airport is off my list of airports that I'll visit in the future.

Just my 2 cents on a experience I had in beautiful North Western Ontario I wanted to share.........

[AllClutch]

wow you are entitled.
Should the fueler not get paid for coming into work on his day off? $2 a litre for avgas is standard if not a little on the cheap side, go to BC or god forbid pick up a drum in YFB one day and then you will be really crying the blues.
Sorry the world doesnt bend to your will. If the $75 is going to break you then I suggest flying only to airports that have 24/7 fuelers on site and possibly getting into a less cash intensive hobby such as high speed knitting or griping about foolish things on the internet.

[digits_]

I explained that with your cost of fuel, the call out should factored in

So everybody should pay extra because you want to land there when they aren't normally working ?
Extra fees suck, but could have easily be avoided by calling them in advance. Fuel trucks, equipment, labour, administration costs, all that stuff costs money. Opening everything up for maybe 20 CAD profit on a 78 liter purchase isn't going to cut it. 75 CAD isn't excessive either.

Be happy fuel was available at all, it's getting harder to find it !

[MrWings]

In the CFS, they told you what to expect. They kept their word. Why you mad, bro?

[Flypilot]

Wawa is worse then Atikoken. I was in Atikoken last October on a Saturday and I can't complain other then I like to pay right there but the guy said if have to wait till the town mailed me a bill. In Wawa we had planned to walk to the hotel but it was raining so after paying $100 call out we asked the Fueler if he'd mind giving us a 1/4 mile ride to the hotel. He called someone else to come pick us up as we watched him drive home right passed where we needed to go.

[upintheair_]

There is literally nothing in Atikokan. The airport is a ghost town. The town is also a long drive from the airport on back roads and I can see why the call out charge is what it is.

[upintheair_]

You could have fueled in Fort Francis, Dryden, or any other reasonably larger airport within a short distance.

[CID]

I don't know the gentlemen that blew me ( didn't catch his name)

Sounds like a reasonable price for fuel, callout and a blowjob. It's $20 more in town.

[c150rocks]

Wawa is worse then Atikoken. I was in Atikoken last October on a Saturday and I can't complain other then I like to pay right there but the guy said if have to wait till the town mailed me a bill. In Wawa we had planned to walk to the hotel but it was raining so after paying $100 call out we asked the Fueler if he'd mind giving us a 1/4 mile ride to the hotel. He called someone else to come pick us up as we watched him drive home right passed where we needed to go.

I missed Wawa but made a stop in Marathon... They do it right.... Self serve pumps, open airport terminal, access to telephone. Never saw a person but I was happy that Marathon along with many other Canadian airports make it a easy place to land, fuel, leave or stay in the area. I wasn't trying to slam the guy getting called out in Atikoken, I just felt ripped off and I spoke up.

Had very positive experiences in LLoydminster, Moose Jaw, Steinbech, Marathon, SSM and St Thomas. All these town's have the same sort of operating costs as Atikoken. LLoyd, I called a number, gave a credit card and self served myself to fuel, Moose Jaw I had service. Steinbech north had self service honor system (love that place), Atikoken...Ghost Airport, locked airport, call out, and from my travels recently high fuel price, with the call out, SSM....FBO great service and CYQS....1.50 per litre, self serve and friendly airport staff who came by to say hello.

I've been in the business for a lot of years35 plus and just sharing my experience. My somewhat outdated VFR sup says "may be charged" I suppose me bad for not calling ahead. I didn't think Saturday at 11 am was considered off hours.

[HiFlyChick]

Most call-out charges that I've paid are in the $100 - $150 range....

[c150rocks]

wow you are entitled.
Should the fueler not get paid for coming into work on his day off? $2 a litre for avgas is standard if not a little on the cheap side, go to BC or god forbid pick up a drum in YFB one day and then you will be really crying the blues.
Sorry the world doesnt bend to your will. If the $75 is going to break you then I suggest flying only to airports that have 24/7 fuelers on site and possibly getting into a less cash intensive hobby such as high speed knitting or griping about foolish things on the internet.

Rude comments noted. I do believe there will be some Pilots will appreciate my post.

[c150rocks]

In the CFS, they told you what to expect. They kept their word. Why you mad, bro?

Sup does say M to F with hours, Also says call out maybe charged. I guess I was drinking the cool aid thinking I wasn't going to be charged.... Me Bad. Sat at 11 o clock at night I would have expected it not in morning but yes I get it.

[c150rocks]

Most call-out charges that I've paid are in the $100 - $150 range....

in middle of day "Really"....

[HiFlyChick]

A small airdrome on a week-end - I'm not surprised, especially since they mentioned it in the CFS

I've had worse than that - my fueller didn't show up one time and no one could track him down. After a few hours and no sign of him we left for another airport (I was lucky I had enough fuel to make it to another airport), but it wasn't a planned stop and added distance.

[AllClutch]

I think its rude to INSIST that someone not be paid for their time and services rendered, especially if they are told there will be fees levied ahead of time.

[c150rocks]

Wawa is worse then Atikoken. I was in Atikoken last October on a Saturday and I can't complain other then I like to pay right there but the guy said if have to wait till the town mailed me a bill. In Wawa we had planned to walk to the hotel but it was raining so after paying $100 call out we asked the Fueler if he'd mind giving us a 1/4 mile ride to the hotel. He called someone else to come pick us up as we watched him drive home right passed where we needed to go.

Ya, I got the bill too in mail and I tried to pay onsite as well. Def, different. Good to know about Wawa. I flew in there about 19 years ago, just in and out so memory is foggy. Marathon was a great fuel stop, self serve and the terminal was open for a squirt break, flight planning etc.

[c150rocks]

You could have fueled in Fort Francis, Dryden, or any other reasonably larger airport within a short distance.

I definitely will the next time I'm through the area.

[c150rocks]

A small airdrome on a week-end - I'm not surprised, especially since they mentioned it in the CFS

I've had worse than that - my fueller didn't show up one time and no one could track him down. After a few hours and no sign of him we left for another airport (I was lucky I had enough fuel to make it to another airport), but it wasn't a planned stop and added distance.

I guess in some regards, I should have counted my blessings. The town worker (nice guy) showed up. LOL

[c150rocks]

I explained that with your cost of fuel, the call out should factored in

So everybody should pay extra because you want to land there when they aren't normally working ?
Extra fees suck, but could have easily be avoided by calling them in advance. Fuel trucks, equipment, labour, administration costs, all that stuff costs money. Opening everything up for maybe 20 CAD profit on a 78 liter purchase isn't going to cut it. 75 CAD isn't excessive either.

Be happy fuel was available at all, it's getting harder to find it !

still think it's a rip off during the day when there are so many other airports that have options when staff are not onsite but appreciate your comment.

[c150rocks]

In the CFS, they told you what to expect. They kept their word. Why you mad, bro?

Good Point.... Can't argue with this.

[c150rocks]

Most call-out charges that I've paid are in the $100 - $150 range....

Yikes.....

[c150rocks]

I think its rude to INSIST that someone not be paid for their time and services rendered, especially if they are told there will be fees levied ahead of time.

You missed my point and I was not intending to be personal or rude.

[c150rocks]

I don't know the gentlemen that blew me ( didn't catch his name)

Sounds like a reasonable price for fuel, callout and a blowjob. It's $20 more in town.

LOL...... ooops, didn't quite understand that comment till now but I edited that post to keep in clean.

[upintheair_]

I explained that with your cost of fuel, the call out should factored in

So everybody should pay extra because you want to land there when they aren't normally working ?
Extra fees suck, but could have easily be avoided by calling them in advance. Fuel trucks, equipment, labour, administration costs, all that stuff costs money. Opening everything up for maybe 20 CAD profit on a 78 liter purchase isn't going to cut it. 75 CAD isn't excessive either.

Be happy fuel was available at all, it's getting harder to find it !

still think it's a rip off during the day when there are so many other airports that have options when staff are not onsite but appreciate your comment.

There is literally no one ever at the airport there. Even during the week.

[Rookie50]

There arent too many places in N Ontario without a weekend call out charge. And that includes bigger places, too.

Is what it is. Pays to do your homework. The volume simply isn't there like in the US