Is there any point to AIR BP card?

Buckerfan wrote:

Firstly, with AirBP the truck driver has never been able to tell me what the price will be, I only find out when I get the invoice byemail a few days later.

You can get a price evaluation on the AirBP customer website. Not saying it is always exactly the price you end up paying, but gets you an idea.

Buckerfan wrote:

I am starting to think that AirBPs prices are in no way discounted and may be a premium.

They will be cheapest only if they are the actual fuel delivery agent. Else, they act as “coordinator” only and do take a cut above the price of the fuel delivery agent (and a big cut at that), contrary to other cards which negotiate “group buys” and take their cut from within the margin between the price they pay and public price.

To give an idea, AirBP gives a price of 1.00 EUR/l for ELLX but the actual local price is 0.81 EUR/l (that is without excise and carbon tax 0.39064 EUR/l nor VAT 17%), so AirBP takes a 0.19 EUR/l cut at least, if not more. By contrast, WFS is 0.749 EUR/l (again without the taxes and VAT, but inclusive of airport fees like the other prices I gave)!

Buckerfan wrote:

Recent example. Perugia last week – AirBP Euro 2.08/litre all in.

I get today 1.08 EUR/l + 0.34 EUR/l customs duty + 22% VAT = 1.7324 EUR/l, plus a fixed fee of 10 EUR per fuelling operation.

My rule of thumb is: first try WFS (World Fuel Services); if it shows that this is “via AirBP”, then get the AirBP price and use that card, else just use the WFS card.

E.g. LFKC is an actual AirBP location, not one where they just arrange another supplier for you. AirBP is at the eye-watering price of 1.31 EUR/l WITHOUT TICPE (excise) and VAT, but WFS is at 1.46176 EUR/l without taxes. But usually, take any non-AirBP location and WFS will beat the pants off AirBP Sterling Card by a significant margin.

I basically don’t use the BP marvel anymore for different reasons, obviously

The price handhold is a thing which I’ve suspected for a long time, though never managed to prove. The lack of price transparency is a scandal, and one of the reasons for me not to use any of these brand cards. The monopolistic attitude being developed is contrary to any healthy business practice, and should be boycotted.
Why can’t we have normal pumps, same as in the US and some fields in Europe, on which any credit/debit card can be used, with a display of the price being paid?

This, along with clear financial and technical benefits to my wallet and engine, had me change from medium large fields where the use of such a card is almost mandated, to smaller fields, preferably selling Mogas when I’m on a trip. And usually carrying my fuel bags.

The BP card is now only kept for emergency use.

lionel wrote:

I get today 1.08 EUR/l + 0.34 EUR/l customs duty + 22% VAT = 1.7324 EUR/l, plus a fixed fee of 10 EUR per fuelling operation.

That is for an AOC holder. If you don’t have an AOC, it’s a private flight. It doesn’t matter if you buy with a company. There is a “private” toggle switch at the top. The price then becomes 1.73 plus the taxes you mentioned, so 2,07 net, which is what Buckerfan paid.

I like the https://myairbp.bpglobal.com service. Not so much for checking prices but for the fuel releases they issue. The fueler will receive it with the date and time of fueling. This can save you time and “negotiations” with the fueling person. Just sign off the delivery. I also forward the release to the handler if I use one.

My 2 cents:

• There are airports which require AIR BP. I haven’t been to one for years though, always presenting a normal CC (usually the Halfax credit card which here in the UK has a good exchange rate despite Halifax being one of the most useless UK banks)

• In the 3rd World (which is most of the earth’s land surface) AIR BP protects you from getting ripped off by some local gang/mafia/extortion racket.

• An AIR BP card with a Ltd Company name on it, in conjunction with the word “commercial” spoken 3 times in the manner of John Cleese impersonating Hitler used to get you duty free fuel. Has not worked for maybe 10-15 years. Most recently it worked in Spain but not anymore (maybe one should focus on a Gen Franco impersonation?) and I got some amazing deals like say 50p/litre in Croatia

Maybe I should never run for office

The AOC thing normally requires presentation of an AOC paper. Except in the UK where it doesn’t work anyway (you reclaim duty/VAT as appropriate afterwards). But the AOC doesn’t need to be actually operated This is why a lot of schools have obtained an AOC of some sort, often for a Seneca, and they use it to get cheap fuel everywhere they go, etc.

I keep my AIR BP card in case I need it, and in case my normal CC fails to authorise which given the stupidity of UK banks is always a possibility.

AIR BP discussions

loco wrote:

That is for an AOC holder. If you don’t have an AOC, it’s a private flight. It doesn’t matter if you buy with a company. There is a “private” toggle switch at the top. The price then becomes 1.73 plus the taxes you mentioned, so 2,07 net, which is what Buckerfan paid.

That is very much not my understanding. My understanding is the “private” toggle just adds the taxes I mentioned into the headline “total fuel price”. AOC holders DO NOT PAY these taxes, private/corporate flyers do pay them. My understanding is that it is no coincidence that my computation of 1.73 EUR/l exactly matches (when rounded to the nearest cent) the price that you mention for private flights. You say that “1.73 plus the taxes you mentioned, so 2,07 net” but no, “1.73 plus the taxes” is 2.525 EUR/l, not 2.07, nor 2.08. I recognise it is close to “price I computed with all taxes inclusive but add excise tax again”, and maybe that’s the error that AirBP made and why Buckerfan paid that. but then that’s just incompetence and a cockup on their side.

You’re right, Lionel! What I proposed would add the taxes twice.