So there is a conspiracy to issue fraudulent invoices to GA airplanes? How big is the conspiracy, who is involved?
Well, when I think about how eager was customs officer when I landed to LGIO to justify his presence, I believe he earned his 20€ (half of total 40€ for customs on arrival an departure). He came late (I was already at car rental office) and he forced us to open all bags for seach. Then he forced policeman, handler guy and me to go back to apron for aircraft search. I had to remove cover, open all compartments, pull out all stuff from the aircraft (oil, tools, chokes, clothes etc.) and then he was inspected aircraft for 20 min. That was followed by very loud quarrel between handler guy and him (I understood only “malaka”) while policeman was trying to calm them down. All in all some 45 min unnecessary spent at the airport. BTW he was the only person I’ve met in Greece that didn’t speak English.
On departure totaly different experience – literarily 10 min after entering the building we were sitting in the aircraft, super-nice policemen and customs officer as well as our handler guy who fought for us on arrival.
Oh what a mess Kefallonia is !
The arrival of these idiots has turned Kefallonia from a well run ramp to utter chaos, the place at one time had a few spots painted on the ramp and airliners would be marshalled onto these spots in an order that allowed passengers to walk across the ramp as directed by staff and get to the aircraft.
The first thing I notice on arrival was the appearance of a multitude of yellow lines on the ramp, a bloke in a new yellow car that drives around doing nothing and someone who allocates the stands to aircraft as if by lottery.
At the time I was there two aircraft needed passengers boarding and an incoming aircraft was directed to a stand that prevented passengers getting on to the aircraft despite a stand being free that would have resulted in no disruption.
This new ( dis ) order has been imposed on the airlines who bring in the serious money, god help the GA community as common sense has left the airport.
Oh what a mess Kefallonia is !
Sharing same experience :(
Just to update this thread with my recent experience in Greece, on the fly-in we had the Astypalia.
I needed a lot of vaseline at Samos (Fraport sell it in large jars at the airport), having been charged the €50 twice for the slot (due to changing the arrival date). Total €330. I had some “discussion” with them about VFR versus IFR but they were not interested. All the previous comments here about VFR arrivals not needing the slot, also discussed with Goldair by email previously, are meaningless.
They also do not allow payment (except for fuel, which is done separately to the fuel man) until the time of departure, which prevents much discussion anyway
A “tech stop” at Athens LGAV is probably half the price of Samos, or any of the other “money making” Greek port of entry airports.
Gone are the days when one could stop at Samos for fuel and depart an hour later, for €30 or so.
This leaves Sitia LGST as the only way to enter Greece, for port of entry and avgas, without getting ripped off some €300. Sitia is of course really nice and in a TB20 (1300nm still-air range) reachable from say Croatia, but this is not an option for most pilots. I believe Sitia is still around €50 but haven’t checked this lately. When I emailed the airport in summer 2017, I got a nice reply from Dimitris in the tower but the handler never replied.
I landed on Syros on Saturday (Oct 14) for about 50 EUR + AVGAS. Practically everyone there (refueler, handler, tower) said they’re trying to arrange passport control for next year.
I said “why bother when you have Mykonos next door?” 
Of course, I said nothing of the sort…. & and continued on to Mykonos (12 mins away) for the sole purpose of getting my passport stamped at a price of 180 EUR for my 1050 MTOW single and about 20 mins on the ground.
Syros made abundantly clear they want GA traffic. The refueler said “we have the cheapest AVGAS in Greece, same as at Megara.” The tower and handler all made a point of inviting me back
Friendly and well aware of what we’re looking for. If they succeed, maybe we should do a fly in there next year.
More bad news for 2018 General Aviation regarding Greece’s 14 FRAPORT privatized airports.
Airports: http://www.fraport-greece.com/eng/airport-profiles
Charges: http://www.fraport-greece.com/eng/our-expertise-and-services/aviation
FRAPORT published their airport charges for the summer 2018 season.
From April 1st, for light GA aircraft, the landing fee goes from 50 to 100 Euro and the parking fee from 2nd day of stay goes from 1.08 to 10 Euro per day and that is before taxes and some other minor charges (VAT 24~17% depending on which island).
The 160 minimum charge (including handling with AOPA discount) which could go up to 250+ (depending passengers, IFR slots etc.) will evidently climb to higher numbers where a week’s stay could reach e.g. 400+ Euro. It couldn’t get worse.
The message is clear, “we don’t want you here unless you pay, we are a private business”.
The huge impact with detrimental effects is for based aeroclubs like in Kerkyra LGKR, Thessaloniki LGTS, Mitilini LGMT, Zakynthos LGZA etc. where there is no alternative airport to move to and no better prices for based operators.
For visiting aircraft from abroad luckily with the commencement of fuel provision at LGIO Ioannina airport of entry there will be at least an alternative option for cheaper entry and refuel to Greece from the north from where to continue to final non Fraport destination.
The huge impact with detrimental effects is for based aeroclubs like in Kerkyra LGKR, Thessaloniki LGTS, Mitilini LGMT, Zakynthos LGZA etc. where there is no alternative airport to move to and no better prices for based operators.
Looks to me like a ready-made case against Fraport for abuse of a dominant position.
Well this is where sticking together would be beneficial. However that is not a concept most Europeans are familiar with. Im referencing the alarm I posted that certain German airports have taken it upon themselves to charge if a flight is filed on an IFR flight plan even if it is only a small segment of the flight with a VFR flight planned arrival .
I was told I should be happy, the reasoning went, because its such a small charge and anything in aviation its normally much higher also they need to maintain the their IFR capabilities so they need the money. I could be caustic and say well the Greeks are in much worse shape so they need much more money. But that would not be constructive.
But there is good news on the other side of the globe. Its funny, we in the US actually have an organization (AOPA) that holds airports accountable if the fees get out of hand causing pilots to file a complaint. There were three airports all operated by a British firm Signiture that took advantage of their monopoly position at those airports. So AOPA sought to redress from The FAA and threatened to sue the airport for allowing exorbitant fees to be charged by Signiture. So what happened? Just recently AOPA dropped one of the 3 airports off their complaint because the airport authority decided that it would best to set up a GA area without forcing them to use the Signiture ramp and also they are now selling GA fuel 50% less than what signiture was charging. Ahh the sound of competition.
I was told by the main airport in Hungary they dont want GA types using their facility so they charge a high fee. If your willing to pay then your welcome but dont expect 100LL. Well I guess they know what they are doing.
Now for some good news for Europeans. 1st Albania just kicked out their German airport managers which resulted in steep decline in the price of airline tickets.
The 2nd is that they will be building an airport across from Corfu and my sources tell me they will be GA friendly. The question is how long to build the airport? Since they do want the tourist Euros they are very motivated. Im hoping it happens soon. Once again competition is the key.
It’s a shame that Euro AOPA doesn’t have the numbers and the influence like they have here in the US. Not sure it would have made any difference if every pilot was a member, but it sure doesn’t help that most Euro pilots bitch about the cost of joining or somehow find an excuse or a reason not to.
Just imagine, if AOPA sent out to all sub 12500lbs owners and operators to avoid a certain airport due to fee’s, believe me, they’d feel it. There are power in numbers, but we’re the most fractioned bunch of all.
Albania just kicked out their German airport managers which resulted in steep decline in the price of airline tickets.
Albania kicked out Fraport?
That would be astonishing good news.
Hats off to the old communists
most Euro pilots bitch about the cost of joining or somehow find an excuse or a reason not to
The main reason is that European AOPAs tend to be lunching clubs for the execs. One particular one is usually seen at conferences, snoring gently after a particularly good lunch.
The other reason is a divisive approach. There is gliding, UL, powered spamcans, and there is no umbrella organisation like US AOPA. Empire building i guess.
